"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.
Could have Guitars that I have never played,
Every Elvis album ever made.
I got the cars, I should learn to drive
Could have a house that would blow your mind!
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you,
You can take what you want cause I don't want nothing, I've nothing if I don't have you.
I've been to places all around the world,
Seen the faces of so many girls.
Never thought I would fall in love,
I guess the songs I write are not enough
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you,
You can take what you want cause I don't want nothing, I've nothing if I don't have you.
I can say what I need but I'll never need anything more, if I didn't have you.
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you.
So take it away, you know I don't need that sorrow if I'm broke I'll borrow.
Just lend me a smile,
As long as your here by my side!
Take what you want, ain't got nothin', ain't got nothin but you babe.
Take what you want babe, ain't got nothin'
Oh I ain't got nothin'
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you (Aint got you)
You can take what you want cause I don't want nothing, I've nothing if I don't have you.
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you (Aint got you)
You can take what you want cause I don't want nothing, I've nothing if I don't have you.
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you
You can take what you want cause I don't want nothing, I've nothing if I don't have you.
Every Elvis album ever made.
I got the cars, I should learn to drive
Could have a house that would blow your mind!
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you,
You can take what you want cause I don't want nothing, I've nothing if I don't have you.
I've been to places all around the world,
Seen the faces of so many girls.
Never thought I would fall in love,
I guess the songs I write are not enough
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you,
You can take what you want cause I don't want nothing, I've nothing if I don't have you.
I can say what I need but I'll never need anything more, if I didn't have you.
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you.
So take it away, you know I don't need that sorrow if I'm broke I'll borrow.
Just lend me a smile,
As long as your here by my side!
Take what you want, ain't got nothin', ain't got nothin but you babe.
Take what you want babe, ain't got nothin'
Oh I ain't got nothin'
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you (Aint got you)
You can take what you want cause I don't want nothing, I've nothing if I don't have you.
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you (Aint got you)
You can take what you want cause I don't want nothing, I've nothing if I don't have you.
You can have what I got cause I don't got nothing worth having if I ain't got you
You can take what you want cause I don't want nothing, I've nothing if I don't have you.
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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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.