"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.
Elevator buttons and morning air
Strangers' silence makes me want to take the stairs
If you were here, we'd laugh about their vacant stares
But right now, my time is theirs
Seems like there's always someone who disapproves
They'll judge it like they know about me and you
And the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do
The jury's out, but my choice is you
So don't you worry your pretty little mind
People throw rocks at things that shine
And life makes love look hard
The stakes are high, the water's rough
But this love is ours
You never know what people have up their sleeves
Ghosts from your past gonna jump out at me
Lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles
But I don't care, 'cause right now, you're mine
And you'll say
Don't you worry your pretty little mind
People throw rocks at things that shine
And life makes love look hard
The stakes are high, the water's rough
But this love is ours
And it's not theirs to speculate if it's wrong and
Your hands are tough, but they are where mine belong and
I'll fight their doubt and give you faith
With this song for you
'Cause I love the gap between your teeth
And I love the riddles that you speak
And any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos
Will be ignored
'Cause my heart is yours
So don't you worry your pretty little mind
People throw rocks at things that shine
And life makes love look hard
Don't you worry your pretty little mind
People throw rocks at things that shine
But they can't take what's ours
They can't take what's ours
The stakes are high, the water's rough
But this love is ours
Strangers' silence makes me want to take the stairs
If you were here, we'd laugh about their vacant stares
But right now, my time is theirs
Seems like there's always someone who disapproves
They'll judge it like they know about me and you
And the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do
The jury's out, but my choice is you
So don't you worry your pretty little mind
People throw rocks at things that shine
And life makes love look hard
The stakes are high, the water's rough
But this love is ours
You never know what people have up their sleeves
Ghosts from your past gonna jump out at me
Lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles
But I don't care, 'cause right now, you're mine
And you'll say
Don't you worry your pretty little mind
People throw rocks at things that shine
And life makes love look hard
The stakes are high, the water's rough
But this love is ours
And it's not theirs to speculate if it's wrong and
Your hands are tough, but they are where mine belong and
I'll fight their doubt and give you faith
With this song for you
'Cause I love the gap between your teeth
And I love the riddles that you speak
And any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos
Will be ignored
'Cause my heart is yours
So don't you worry your pretty little mind
People throw rocks at things that shine
And life makes love look hard
Don't you worry your pretty little mind
People throw rocks at things that shine
But they can't take what's ours
They can't take what's ours
The stakes are high, the water's rough
But this love is ours
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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,
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
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.
Pretty sure this song's about how people will always try to judge your relationship and try to tell you that it's wrong, but since they don't truly know either of you their opinions don't matter.
Andd I'm not sure but I think this song's possibly about Corey Monteith and Taylor's little secret fling~ that they never really admitted to.
excellent song about how people try to come in between everyone else's relationships. think about it, we always wanna interrupt two people and sometimes they just think its enough. if two people are happy, no one else should try to ruin that.
I immediately thought of the black/white relationships of decades ago. How all eyes must have been on them and how there must have been some fear and discomfort present. They were the ground-breakers, the brave ones who were on the front line of the cultural battle that pitted universal love (the concept) against prejudice, although perhaps their first thought was simply of the love they felt while they were in each others arms; holding hands; etc. The 'battle' may have been far back in their minds while they were together. I hope so anyway.
I think this song is about a relationship that people are constantly judging, for any reason. Whether it be heterosexual or homosexual, people are saying that this relationship is wrong. I can completely relate, considering the fact that I am currently involved with a person of a different religion. People are always judging these people and saying that their love isn't right.
this is totally about John Mayer. "I love the gap between your teeth" and "And any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos will be ignored"
Definitely agreed.
i could be mistaken but doesn't cory monteith have tattoos and a gap between his teeth to? haha
i dont think this is about john mayer because there is a song called "dear john" that i think is definatly about him she says "don't you think I was too young to be played by your dark twisted games" and i know he was older than her and she was young when they had a thing. just saying.
I totally think this is about John Mayer as well. Yes, she wrote "Dear John" after their little fling ended, but this one was written during the relationship. <br /> <br /> It could be Cory Monteith because he has tattoos and a gap as well, but then there's the lines "Ghosts from your past gonna jump out at me / Lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles". John Mayer is famous for the long string of ex-girlfriends who call him a womanizer and what-not. Also, "And I love the riddles that you speak".. John Mayer likes to talk in ways that lets everyone around him know just exactly how smart he thinks he is. At the time, she probably found it endearing... In retrospect? Maybe not so much, haha. <br /> <br />
have any of you ever seen John Mayer? well he like never smiles. but the two pictures that I've seen of him kind of half smiling..it's clear as day, he doesn't have a gap between his teeth. besides, did anyone stop to think that maybe this song is about someone that we don't know? Taylor Swift can write songs about people who aren't famous.
this song is so beautiful. i can defiantly relate.
I LOVE THIS SONG! it's my absolute favorite! it's super adorable and I can so relate to it! my boyfriend is...different than most people and some of my 'friends' tell me I'm too good for him or something, but they're just being shallow. I care about him and that is all that matters.
anyway, I love this song and i can't take it off of repeat! :D
seems about gay relationships and the gay issues,PROP 8 etc.
Perfect song with a similar sound and same theme as the "Fearless" album.
This is such a sweet song! It sounds like it could be about Toby (the 'husband' in the Mine music video). Because it mentions a gap in his teeth and tattoos, both of which Toby has .. and they were spotted together quite often, even before the shoot, so people suspected they dated. I wonder .. :)
Either way, it's a pretty adorable song about a girl trying to comfort her significant other becasue no one thinks they should be together but she sees through all of their rude opinions and loves him anyway. I was in a similar situation when i was sixteen. I was falling for him when everyone was against it. And I fell totally and completely in love. It was wonderful. This almost seems like a more realistic 'Love Story'. ... the focus of it anyway, ahah, loving someone who no one else wants you to.
The thought that it's about Toby crossed my mind too, especially since his name is the hidden message in "Mine", and it's the first time she's ever put the name of a music video's love interest as the message. The song titles (Mine vs. Ours) have a pretty interesting correlation.
this is such a cute and catchy song! deff my favorite off of the whole album! (including the bonuses, obviously[: ) is about two people in love, but people disapprove but they're all 'who cares? this love is ours and no one can take it from us' love it! sooo relatable!