"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.
Essa é uma das muitas histórias
Que acontecem comigo
Primeiro foi Suzi, quando eu tinha lambreta
Depois comprei um carro, parei na contramão
Tudo isso sem contar o tremendo tapa que eu levei
Com a história do splish splash
Mas essa história também é interessante
Mandei meu Cadillac pro mecânico outro dia
Pois há muito tempo um conserto ela pedia
E como vou viver sem um carango pra correr
Meu Cadillac bip bip
Quero consertar meu Cadillac
Bip dubi indupi dubi
Com muita paciência o rapaz me ofereceu
Um carro todo velho que por lá apareceu
Enquanto o Cadillac consertava eu usava
O Calhambeque bip bip
Quero buzinar o Calhambeque
Bip dubi indupi dubi
Saí da oficina um pouquinho desolado
Confesso que estava até um pouco envergonhado
Olhando para o lado com a cara de malvado
O Calhambeque bip bip
Buzinei assim o Calhambeque
Bip dubi indupi dubi
E logo uma garota fez sinal para eu parar
E no meu Calhambeque fez questão de passear
Não sei o que pensei mas eu não acreditei
Que o Calhambeque bip bip,
O broto quis andar no Calhambeque
Bip dubi indupi dubi
E muitos outros brotos que encontrei pelo caminho
Falavam que estouro, que beleza de carrinho
E eu fui me acostumando e do carango fui gostando
O Calhambeque bip bip
Quero conservar o Calhambeque
Bip dubi indupi dubi
Mas o Cadillac finalmente ficou pronto
Lavado, consertado, bem pintado, um encanto
Mas o meu coração na hora exata de trocar
O Calhambeque bip bip
Meu coração ficou com o Calhambeque
Bip dubi indupi dubi
Bem, vocês me desculpem mas agora eu vou-me embora
Existem mil garotas querendo passear comigo
Mas é por causa desse Calhambeque, sabe?
Bye, bye, bye
Que acontecem comigo
Primeiro foi Suzi, quando eu tinha lambreta
Depois comprei um carro, parei na contramão
Tudo isso sem contar o tremendo tapa que eu levei
Com a história do splish splash
Mas essa história também é interessante
Mandei meu Cadillac pro mecânico outro dia
Pois há muito tempo um conserto ela pedia
E como vou viver sem um carango pra correr
Meu Cadillac bip bip
Quero consertar meu Cadillac
Bip dubi indupi dubi
Com muita paciência o rapaz me ofereceu
Um carro todo velho que por lá apareceu
Enquanto o Cadillac consertava eu usava
O Calhambeque bip bip
Quero buzinar o Calhambeque
Bip dubi indupi dubi
Saí da oficina um pouquinho desolado
Confesso que estava até um pouco envergonhado
Olhando para o lado com a cara de malvado
O Calhambeque bip bip
Buzinei assim o Calhambeque
Bip dubi indupi dubi
E logo uma garota fez sinal para eu parar
E no meu Calhambeque fez questão de passear
Não sei o que pensei mas eu não acreditei
Que o Calhambeque bip bip,
O broto quis andar no Calhambeque
Bip dubi indupi dubi
E muitos outros brotos que encontrei pelo caminho
Falavam que estouro, que beleza de carrinho
E eu fui me acostumando e do carango fui gostando
O Calhambeque bip bip
Quero conservar o Calhambeque
Bip dubi indupi dubi
Mas o Cadillac finalmente ficou pronto
Lavado, consertado, bem pintado, um encanto
Mas o meu coração na hora exata de trocar
O Calhambeque bip bip
Meu coração ficou com o Calhambeque
Bip dubi indupi dubi
Bem, vocês me desculpem mas agora eu vou-me embora
Existem mil garotas querendo passear comigo
Mas é por causa desse Calhambeque, sabe?
Bye, bye, bye
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.