"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.
This is a strange familiar place
Where I am living
The world that was and what's become are not the same
I see the evidence of grace
Without forgetting
How far I've had to come to get me where I am today
If justice had the only say
Well I would not be here
Cause less than anything is more than I deserve
But I can put the past away
For I've discovered
There's nothing left to judge, forgiveness is the final word
Everywhere I turn I see compassion but I'm learning
I'm just a fallen man
In the land of mercy
Love is free to grow where Heaven's healing waters flow
Though I may not understand
I'm living in the land of mercy
It seems I never have to ask
For what I'm given
I see the answer long before I see the need
No longer looking to the past
As just a prison
For what has been helps me remember what I used to be
Though I may walk through the valley below
I will not fear because I know who rules this world
I'm walking through
Love is free
I'm living in the land of mercy
Tell me what you see
I'm living in the land of mercy
Where I am living
The world that was and what's become are not the same
I see the evidence of grace
Without forgetting
How far I've had to come to get me where I am today
If justice had the only say
Well I would not be here
Cause less than anything is more than I deserve
But I can put the past away
For I've discovered
There's nothing left to judge, forgiveness is the final word
Everywhere I turn I see compassion but I'm learning
I'm just a fallen man
In the land of mercy
Love is free to grow where Heaven's healing waters flow
Though I may not understand
I'm living in the land of mercy
It seems I never have to ask
For what I'm given
I see the answer long before I see the need
No longer looking to the past
As just a prison
For what has been helps me remember what I used to be
Though I may walk through the valley below
I will not fear because I know who rules this world
I'm walking through
Love is free
I'm living in the land of mercy
Tell me what you see
I'm living in the land of mercy
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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,
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/