"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.
Too much life in you, my dear
I would sing you, you would burst in tears
Fallen faster, oh my god
A scene inside a beating heart
You see the stars burn out
Racing lights
Run for your life
Your skin ignites, won't you shine for me?
Hardly hanging on so long
One deep breath and you're withdrawn without a sound
Take a deep breath
A tear in your eye
I'll sing you lullabies, I'll sing you lullabies
Racing lights
Run for your life
Your skin ignites, won't you shine for me?
Shine down, you said you could
You knew you should
See the parts of breaking hearts and read between the lines
You'd ask if I might like to write your name in the sky
If you want me I'll be right outside
And I might like to wonder how you let yourself get pulled under
With every breath you take
Racing lights
Run for your life
Your skin ignites, won't you shine for me?
I would sing you, you would burst in tears
Fallen faster, oh my god
A scene inside a beating heart
You see the stars burn out
Racing lights
Run for your life
Your skin ignites, won't you shine for me?
Hardly hanging on so long
One deep breath and you're withdrawn without a sound
Take a deep breath
A tear in your eye
I'll sing you lullabies, I'll sing you lullabies
Racing lights
Run for your life
Your skin ignites, won't you shine for me?
Shine down, you said you could
You knew you should
See the parts of breaking hearts and read between the lines
You'd ask if I might like to write your name in the sky
If you want me I'll be right outside
And I might like to wonder how you let yourself get pulled under
With every breath you take
Racing lights
Run for your life
Your skin ignites, won't you shine for me?
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
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.
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.
Almost forgot! qwrite2, I think you messed up a few of the lyrics. I think. I'm just going by what my ears hear.
Ready for the changes? Here they are:
Too much alive in you, my dear, I would sing you would burst in tears now. Fallin’ faster, oh my God. I’ve seen inside a beating heart, You see the stars burn out.
Racing light, Run for your life. Your skin ignites, Won’t you shine for me?
Hardly hanging on, so long. One deep breath and you’re withdrawn without a sound. And you take a deep breath, a tear in your eye. I sing you lullabies, I sing you lullabies.
Racing light, Run for your life. Your skin ignites, Won’t you shine? Racing light, Run for your life. Your skin ignites, Won’t you shine? Won’t you shine? Won’t you shine down? You said you could. You knew you should. See the parts of breaking hearts and read between the lines.
You'd ask if I might like to write your name in the sky. If you want me I'll be right outside. And I might like to wonder how you let yourself get pulled under, With every breath you take.
Racing light, Run for your life. Your skin ignites, Won’t you shine? Won’t you shine? Won’t you shine? Won’t you shine?
See, I think he's actually just saying "light" in the lyrics and not "lights" as well as some other stuff. Not sure, but that's what I hear.