"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.
Here's a little story about someone that you know
He was a right famous fellow by the name of Russell Crowe
I was working at a pub and he was smoking at the bar
That's a crime as you all know in California
So I sidled up the rail, right to where he stood
I said, "I'm sorry Mr. Crowe," as nicely as I could
"You'll have to put that out now, throw it on the floor
If you don't, I'll kick you out and show you to the door."
Well, he squared right up to me, somewhat in surprise
Then he narrowed up his gaze, shot me daggers with his eyes
"If you think you're man enough, go ahead," he said
I was scared for my live so I dalked him in the head
The closest I've come to ending up dead
Was the night that I punched Russell Crowe
The Gladiator, in the head
He lifted up his hands put them to his nose
Blood was running through his fingers, dripping on his clothes
His bodyguards ran up, "Get him," shouted Crowe
"Run," cried Chucky, "run and don't stop until you get to Mexico."
The closest I've come to ending up dead
Was the night that I punched Russell Crowe
The Gladiator, in the head
The closest I've come to being dead
Was the night that I punched Russell Crowe
The Gladiator, in the head
Oy oy oy
You can't hit me, I'm the Cinderella Man
I'm the Master and Commander, I'm Australian
You can't hit me, don't you know I'm dangerous
I am the outlaw Ben Wade, come on, tiger
I am Maximus
Oy oy oy...
He was a right famous fellow by the name of Russell Crowe
I was working at a pub and he was smoking at the bar
That's a crime as you all know in California
So I sidled up the rail, right to where he stood
I said, "I'm sorry Mr. Crowe," as nicely as I could
"You'll have to put that out now, throw it on the floor
If you don't, I'll kick you out and show you to the door."
Well, he squared right up to me, somewhat in surprise
Then he narrowed up his gaze, shot me daggers with his eyes
"If you think you're man enough, go ahead," he said
I was scared for my live so I dalked him in the head
The closest I've come to ending up dead
Was the night that I punched Russell Crowe
The Gladiator, in the head
He lifted up his hands put them to his nose
Blood was running through his fingers, dripping on his clothes
His bodyguards ran up, "Get him," shouted Crowe
"Run," cried Chucky, "run and don't stop until you get to Mexico."
The closest I've come to ending up dead
Was the night that I punched Russell Crowe
The Gladiator, in the head
The closest I've come to being dead
Was the night that I punched Russell Crowe
The Gladiator, in the head
Oy oy oy
You can't hit me, I'm the Cinderella Man
I'm the Master and Commander, I'm Australian
You can't hit me, don't you know I'm dangerous
I am the outlaw Ben Wade, come on, tiger
I am Maximus
Oy oy oy...
Lyrics submitted by nikkus34
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.
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
I saw them in concert and the lead singer explained this was based on a true story, which the lyrics do a pretty good job of retelling. Basically, the lead singer was working at a Californian bar, when Crowe and his crew (this was around the time he landed Gladiator) walked in smoking. He told Crowe they don't allow smoking. His goons brought him outside and beat him up. Crowe realized he was just doing his job and offered the singer a punch. He punched him and he ran for his life.