"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.
Put a ribbon round my neck and call me a libertine
I will sing you songs of dreams I used to dream
I will sail away on seas of silver and gold
Until I reach my home
Give me a guitar and I'll be your troubadour
Your strolling minstrel 12th century door to door
I don't know anymore, if that feeling is past will it last
Oh, how can you be sure?
And how do I know if you're feeling the same as me?
And how do I know if that's the only place you want to be?
Give me a stage and I'll be your rock and roll queen
Your 20th century cover of a magazine
Rolling Stone here I come, watch out everyone, I'm singing
I'm singing my song
Give me a festival and I'll be your Glastonbury star
The lights are shining everyone knows who you are
Singing songs about dreams about hopes about schemes
Ooooh, they just came true
And how do I know if you're feeling the same as me?
And how do I know if that's the only place you want to be?
And how do I know if you're feeling the same as me?
And how do I know if that's the only place you want to be?
And if you want it too, then there's nothing left to do:
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
And if you want it too, then there's nothing left to do:
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
And if you want it too, then there's nothing left to do:
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
And if you want it too, then there's nothing left to do.
I will sing you songs of dreams I used to dream
I will sail away on seas of silver and gold
Until I reach my home
Give me a guitar and I'll be your troubadour
Your strolling minstrel 12th century door to door
I don't know anymore, if that feeling is past will it last
Oh, how can you be sure?
And how do I know if you're feeling the same as me?
And how do I know if that's the only place you want to be?
Give me a stage and I'll be your rock and roll queen
Your 20th century cover of a magazine
Rolling Stone here I come, watch out everyone, I'm singing
I'm singing my song
Give me a festival and I'll be your Glastonbury star
The lights are shining everyone knows who you are
Singing songs about dreams about hopes about schemes
Ooooh, they just came true
And how do I know if you're feeling the same as me?
And how do I know if that's the only place you want to be?
And how do I know if you're feeling the same as me?
And how do I know if that's the only place you want to be?
And if you want it too, then there's nothing left to do:
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
And if you want it too, then there's nothing left to do:
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
And if you want it too, then there's nothing left to do:
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
Let's start a band
And if you want it too, then there's nothing left to do.
Lyrics submitted by The_$t!G
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.