"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
So cold,
your icy fingers around my neck
You offer these rotten apples
Begging me to taste and see
I'll take just one bite
I know you're coming like a bad dream
When the demons fall to place
Perverting all the answers
Corrupting what's inside you
Believing everything
Cut deeper to the core
But we know what's inside
Go to bed, young dreamer
A prophet you'll arise to call us out
Go to bed, young dreamer
You tell of our decline
But you follow us down
The breath of a fallen angel brings death if you breathe it in
Breathe it in
Breathe it in
Although you know what dwells inside
The breath of a fallen angel brings death if you breathe it in
To bite down, to chew, and to swallow
To muscle it down to dissolve
Bed ridden, shivering fever
Follow it down
(repeat)
Your icy fingers around my neck
Offering destruction
They're begging me to taste and see
So I take just one bite
It's the poison in your veins
And it's the shiver down your spine
Go deeper to the cut
But we know what's inside
To bite down, to chew, and to swallow
To muscle it down to dissolve
Bed ridden, shivering fever
Follow it down
(repeat)
And we know you'll bite down
And you'll follow us into the ground
And we know you'll bite down
And you'll follow us into the ground
We know what's inside
Go to bed, young dreamer
A prophet you'll arise to call us out
Go to bed, young dreamer
You tell of our decline
But you follow us down
your icy fingers around my neck
You offer these rotten apples
Begging me to taste and see
I'll take just one bite
I know you're coming like a bad dream
When the demons fall to place
Perverting all the answers
Corrupting what's inside you
Believing everything
Cut deeper to the core
But we know what's inside
Go to bed, young dreamer
A prophet you'll arise to call us out
Go to bed, young dreamer
You tell of our decline
But you follow us down
The breath of a fallen angel brings death if you breathe it in
Breathe it in
Breathe it in
Although you know what dwells inside
The breath of a fallen angel brings death if you breathe it in
To bite down, to chew, and to swallow
To muscle it down to dissolve
Bed ridden, shivering fever
Follow it down
(repeat)
Your icy fingers around my neck
Offering destruction
They're begging me to taste and see
So I take just one bite
It's the poison in your veins
And it's the shiver down your spine
Go deeper to the cut
But we know what's inside
To bite down, to chew, and to swallow
To muscle it down to dissolve
Bed ridden, shivering fever
Follow it down
(repeat)
And we know you'll bite down
And you'll follow us into the ground
And we know you'll bite down
And you'll follow us into the ground
We know what's inside
Go to bed, young dreamer
A prophet you'll arise to call us out
Go to bed, young dreamer
You tell of our decline
But you follow us down
Lyrics submitted by rabidbunny
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
"Adult Tree" By Haste the Day is almost a "Snow White" tale, engulfing the listener in venomous apples that lead to bed ridden sorrow.
The icy fingers are Satan, he is trying to tempt you to taste the rotten apples. The apples are his temptations, and even one bite is enough to make you sick.As seen in "To Bite and to chew and to swallow to muscle it down bed ridden, shivering fever follow it down". The apple may look shiny and nice on the outside, but inside they are nothing much bile and poison. I say they look nice on the outside, because its a subtle hint coming from the fact that, who would bite an apple that's rotten on the outside? He also makes this clear by saying "But we know what's inside," it looks nice on the outside but we know what's inside, implying that's where the rot is.
We can see again how he is talking about sin when he says "The breath of a fallen angel brings death if we breathe it in". A fallen angel is sinful and even his breath can kill you, because sin is death. If you are breathing in sin you eventually will die. Maybe not literally but figuratively, you will lose you closeness with God and eventually fall away and sin.
"The young men willl dream dreams and the old men will see visions". This bible verse reveals the "young dreamer," bit. It's as the young dreamer goes to sleep he eventually grows old becoming a prophet, and prophets called the people out and prophesied of their decline. Though they did this, they still followed the people down to inevitable destruction.
This song tells of the external venomous beauty, and dark interest of sin, yet you know the vile taste, bitterness and rot of it, you still take that one big foul bite. Even the prophets that know what follows, still carry on down the same path. When you accept the apple you also know of the deceit that you have given into, and yet you still taste it, chew it swallow it digest it.
this song is so awesome..very emotional.
Hey guys this is my first post please tell me what you think. Shot
this is my favorite Haste The Day song so far. by the way i agree with whitecollaragent. really good post. lol also my first post
Great job WhiteCollarAgent. Totally agree. Just one other thing... If you've seen the album art, it goes with this song. It shows an apple, and when you open the case, on the other side is a skull with worms coming out. The rotten apple bringing death. Powerful message.
*Sigh...Snow White...one of my favorite movies...Haste The Day...
Oh I love this song now. Haha.
have you guys ever thought it could be about the first sin to mankind where the serpant tempted eve to eat the apple from the knowledge of good and evil its just a thought i could be wrong
You pretty much nailed it. There is a podcast called the anvil and the hammer that has an interview with Stephen Keech(for those who don't know he is the lead singer) and he talks about the meanings of the songs. The "theme", so to speak, is about the fall of man. So you are not wrong at all. I'm not sure what episode number it is, but if you have iTunes you should most definately check it out. There is also an interpretation for the album art that is connected to the theme of the album. I don't want to say anyone is wrong, especially for my first post, but I don't agree with the whole snow white aspect of it but I do agree some other things. Again, you aren't wrong. Another thing to consider is that everyone interprits a song in their own way. This is, in my opinion, Haste the Day's best release to date. An adult Tree is my favorite song from them and maybe even my favorite song of all time.
It might need it's own corrections but it's a little but more down to detail. Hope it helps...
So cold, your icy fingers around my neck. You offer this rotten apple, begging me to taste and see. So I take just one bite.
I know you're coming like a bad dream When the demons fell to place, Perverting all the answers. Corrupting what's inside you, Believing everything Cut deeper to the core. But we know what's inside.
Go to bed, young dreamer. A prophet you'll arise To call us out. Go to bed young dreamer. You tell of our decline, But you follow us down. (We know what's inside.)
The breath of the fallen angel brings death if you breathe it in. Breathe it in, breathe it in. Although you know what dwells inside. The breath of the fallen angel brings death if you breathe it in.
To bite down, to chew, and to swallow. To muscle it down to dissolve. Bed ridden, Shivering fever, To follow it down.
To bite down, to chew, and to swallow. To muscle it down to dissolve. Bed ridden, Shivering fever, To follow it down.
Your icy fingers around my neck offer me destruction. Begging me to taste and see. So I take just one bite. And it's the poison in your veins. And it's the shiver down your spine. Cut deeper to the core, But we know what's inside.
To bite down, to chew, and to swallow. To muscle it down to dissolve. Bed ridden, shivering fever. To follow it down.
To bite down, to chew, and to swallow. To muscle it down to dissolve. Bed ridden, Shivering fever, To follow it down.
And we know you'll bite down And follow us under the ground.
And we know you'll bite down And follow us under the ground.
Go to bed, young dreamer. A prophet you'll arise To call us out. Go to bed young dreamer. You tell of our decline, But you follow us down. (We know what's inside.)