"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.
master, i praise you
i’ve come here to tame
the demands of the flesh
i’ve come to forget my name
we all thought that the moon
should be turned to blood
and that it’s the worst thing
to want for one who comes not
but there’s nothing left than to obey
all of their laws of wealth
always fighting on both sides
no denial, no denial
master, i serve you
and i serve the language
of failure and doubt
i’ve come to sell you my anguish
we all thought that the moon
should be turned to blood
and that it’s the worst thing
to try to please and please not
but there’s nothing left than to obey
all of their laws of wealth
always fighting on both sides
no denial, no denial
yes, there’s nothing left than to obey
all of their laws of wealth
master, are you taking sides?
no denial, no denial
and it feels like spring again
we’ve sealed this feel again
though you tried to blind me
i still saw you blush
it feels like spring again
we’ve sealed this feel again
though you tried to blind me
though you tried to blind me
we do not pause, we do not rest
so do not speak, please do not test
my nerve like this, in a season like this
we do not pause, we do not rest
so do not speak, please do not test
my nerve like this, in a season like this
you tried to blind me
you tried to blind me...
i’ve come here to tame
the demands of the flesh
i’ve come to forget my name
we all thought that the moon
should be turned to blood
and that it’s the worst thing
to want for one who comes not
but there’s nothing left than to obey
all of their laws of wealth
always fighting on both sides
no denial, no denial
master, i serve you
and i serve the language
of failure and doubt
i’ve come to sell you my anguish
we all thought that the moon
should be turned to blood
and that it’s the worst thing
to try to please and please not
but there’s nothing left than to obey
all of their laws of wealth
always fighting on both sides
no denial, no denial
yes, there’s nothing left than to obey
all of their laws of wealth
master, are you taking sides?
no denial, no denial
and it feels like spring again
we’ve sealed this feel again
though you tried to blind me
i still saw you blush
it feels like spring again
we’ve sealed this feel again
though you tried to blind me
though you tried to blind me
we do not pause, we do not rest
so do not speak, please do not test
my nerve like this, in a season like this
we do not pause, we do not rest
so do not speak, please do not test
my nerve like this, in a season like this
you tried to blind me
you tried to blind me...
Lyrics submitted by laura_laurent
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.