"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.
Yesterday was pouring
Like a test on Monday morning
I got high, I got high
I dunno where I'm goin'
It's like the desert when it's snowin'
Inside out, upside down
But then something happens
You float by and I say
Damn
Thought you were gone
I thought I left you in the back of my mind
Don't get me wrong
Maybe you're right
You got me feelin' like a satellite
Tomorrow could be something
But today I feel like jumping
Anything goes, tell me who knows
And people drivin' slowly
And I'm thinking if I only had my stash
I'd float on past
But then something happened
You walked by and I say
Damn
Thought you were gone
I thought I left you in the back of my mind
Don't get me wrong
Maybe you're right
You got me feelin' like a satellite
I say damn
Thought you were gone
I thought I left you in the back of my mind
Don't get me wrong
Maybe you're right
You got me feelin' like a satellite
Mmm floating, feeling, hanging, loving
Satellite you know is coming
You know it's coming baby, yeah
Falling, dropping, saying, sawing, holding, touching,
Need some loving
And I'm minding my own business
But then something happened
You walked by and I say
Damn
Thought you were gone
I thought I left you in the back of my mind
Don't get me wrong
Maybe you're right
You got me feelin' like a satellite
I say damn
Thought you were gone
I thought I left you in the back of my mind
Don't get me wrong
Maybe you're right
You got me feelin' like a satellite
Like a sa-sa-sa-satellite yeah
Do do doo doo satellite satellite
Like a test on Monday morning
I got high, I got high
I dunno where I'm goin'
It's like the desert when it's snowin'
Inside out, upside down
But then something happens
You float by and I say
Damn
Thought you were gone
I thought I left you in the back of my mind
Don't get me wrong
Maybe you're right
You got me feelin' like a satellite
Tomorrow could be something
But today I feel like jumping
Anything goes, tell me who knows
And people drivin' slowly
And I'm thinking if I only had my stash
I'd float on past
But then something happened
You walked by and I say
Damn
Thought you were gone
I thought I left you in the back of my mind
Don't get me wrong
Maybe you're right
You got me feelin' like a satellite
I say damn
Thought you were gone
I thought I left you in the back of my mind
Don't get me wrong
Maybe you're right
You got me feelin' like a satellite
Mmm floating, feeling, hanging, loving
Satellite you know is coming
You know it's coming baby, yeah
Falling, dropping, saying, sawing, holding, touching,
Need some loving
And I'm minding my own business
But then something happened
You walked by and I say
Damn
Thought you were gone
I thought I left you in the back of my mind
Don't get me wrong
Maybe you're right
You got me feelin' like a satellite
I say damn
Thought you were gone
I thought I left you in the back of my mind
Don't get me wrong
Maybe you're right
You got me feelin' like a satellite
Like a sa-sa-sa-satellite yeah
Do do doo doo satellite satellite
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.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.