"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.
Day one God smiled,
Gave us all the wisdom of a newborn child
But by the time we take our first step
We've already begun to forget
What the heart knows the heart sees
We're just as much the forest, as we are the trees
Every little seed trying to find
Where the light comes from
[Chorus]
And it's a world of hurt, nothing works
It's a lonely little planet made of dust and dirt
Who'd ever think that in the midst of all this
Something as beautiful as love exists
And when I hold you, and you hold me
Heaven doesn't seem like such a mystery
Darling in a world of hurt
You make me feel so good
Day one of our love,
Two heartbroken people scared to trust too much
Oh but here it comes that feelin' again
That every lover swears will never end
We thought we'd been there, done that,
But when we kissed
We knew we'd never been here,
We've never done this
All the walls come tumblin' down
When you love someone
[Chorus]
Gave us all the wisdom of a newborn child
But by the time we take our first step
We've already begun to forget
What the heart knows the heart sees
We're just as much the forest, as we are the trees
Every little seed trying to find
Where the light comes from
[Chorus]
And it's a world of hurt, nothing works
It's a lonely little planet made of dust and dirt
Who'd ever think that in the midst of all this
Something as beautiful as love exists
And when I hold you, and you hold me
Heaven doesn't seem like such a mystery
Darling in a world of hurt
You make me feel so good
Day one of our love,
Two heartbroken people scared to trust too much
Oh but here it comes that feelin' again
That every lover swears will never end
We thought we'd been there, done that,
But when we kissed
We knew we'd never been here,
We've never done this
All the walls come tumblin' down
When you love someone
[Chorus]
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.