"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.
Counting all different ideas drifting away
Past and present, they don't matter
Now the future's sorted out
Watch her moving in elliptical pattern
Think it's not what you say
What you say is way too complicated
For a minute, thought I couldn't tell how to fall out
It's twenty seconds 'til the last call, going, "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey"
Lie down, you know it's easy like we did it all summer long
And I'll be anything you ask and more, going "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey"
It's not a miracle we needed, and no I wouldn't let you think so
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Girlfriend, oh, your girlfriend's drifting away
Past and present, 1855-1901
Watch them build up a material tower
Think it's not gonna stay anyway
Think it's overrated
For a minute, thought I couldn't tell how to fall out
It's twenty seconds 'til the last call, going, "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey"
Lie down, you know it's easy like we did it all summer long
And I'll be anything you ask and more, going "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey"
It's not a miracle we needed, and no I wouldn't let you think so
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Past and present, they don't matter
Now the future's sorted out
Watch her moving in elliptical pattern
Think it's not what you say
What you say is way too complicated
For a minute, thought I couldn't tell how to fall out
It's twenty seconds 'til the last call, going, "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey"
Lie down, you know it's easy like we did it all summer long
And I'll be anything you ask and more, going "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey"
It's not a miracle we needed, and no I wouldn't let you think so
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Girlfriend, oh, your girlfriend's drifting away
Past and present, 1855-1901
Watch them build up a material tower
Think it's not gonna stay anyway
Think it's overrated
For a minute, thought I couldn't tell how to fall out
It's twenty seconds 'til the last call, going, "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey"
Lie down, you know it's easy like we did it all summer long
And I'll be anything you ask and more, going "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey"
It's not a miracle we needed, and no I wouldn't let you think so
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Fold it, fold it, fold it, fold it
Lyrics submitted by benk0202, edited by salazar21angel
1901 Lyrics as written by Frederic Moulin Christian Mazzalai
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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American Town
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
You want some awesome remixes?
musicunderfire.com/2009/06/phoenix-remixes.html
Check out "1901 - (Ivan Beck Dub Remix)"