"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.
Hello
We haven't talked in quite some time
I know
I haven't been the best
Of sons, hello, I've been traveling in the desert of my mind
And I
Haven't found a drop
Of life
I haven't found a drop
Of you, I haven't found a drop
I haven't found a drop
Of water
Water
I try desperately to run through the sand
As I hold the water in the palm of my hand
'Cause it's all that I have and it's all that I need and
The waves of the water mean nothing to me
But I try my best and all that I can
To hold tightly onto what's left in my hand
But no matter how, how tightly I will strain
The sand will slow me down and the water will drain
I'm just being dramatic, in fact, I'm only at it again
As an addict with a pen, who's addicted to the wind
As it blows me back and forth, mindless, spineless, and pretend
Of course I'll be here again, see you tomorrow, but it's the end of today
End of my ways as a walking denial
My trial was filed as a crazy suicidal head case
But you specialize in dying, you hear me screaming "father"
And I'm lying here just crying, so wash me with your water
Water
Hello
I haven't talked in quite some time
I know
I haven't been the best
Of sons, hello, I've been traveling in the desert of my mind
And I
I haven't found a drop
Of life
I haven't found a drop
Of you
I haven't found a drop
I haven't found a drop
Of water
We haven't talked in quite some time
I know
I haven't been the best
Of sons, hello, I've been traveling in the desert of my mind
And I
Haven't found a drop
Of life
I haven't found a drop
Of you, I haven't found a drop
I haven't found a drop
Of water
Water
I try desperately to run through the sand
As I hold the water in the palm of my hand
'Cause it's all that I have and it's all that I need and
The waves of the water mean nothing to me
But I try my best and all that I can
To hold tightly onto what's left in my hand
But no matter how, how tightly I will strain
The sand will slow me down and the water will drain
I'm just being dramatic, in fact, I'm only at it again
As an addict with a pen, who's addicted to the wind
As it blows me back and forth, mindless, spineless, and pretend
Of course I'll be here again, see you tomorrow, but it's the end of today
End of my ways as a walking denial
My trial was filed as a crazy suicidal head case
But you specialize in dying, you hear me screaming "father"
And I'm lying here just crying, so wash me with your water
Water
Hello
I haven't talked in quite some time
I know
I haven't been the best
Of sons, hello, I've been traveling in the desert of my mind
And I
I haven't found a drop
Of life
I haven't found a drop
Of you
I haven't found a drop
I haven't found a drop
Of water
Lyrics submitted by tavman, edited by austinedward, lauravantc
Addict With A Pen Lyrics as written by Tyler Joseph
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Plastic Bag
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I know people think this song is all Christian meaning, but I am pretty much an Atheist. This does not mean that the true meaning is wrong, I agree, it's about Jesus or whatever, and that's awesome, but my personal interpretation reminds me of a son and father who are distant and the son writes this song to his dad explaining how they havent been talking and that he misses him and needs him and how he is struggling in life, and he needs his father's wisdom and support that he has little of, which reminds me of the part where the singer says "I hold the water in the palm of my hand" referring to his memories, wisdom, and support from his father. When the verse continues and the water is lost, i believe it means that his relationship with his father is basically ruined and that the son is alone with no water, which can represent a necessity of life, especially in the desert. And a son needs his father, so the water and the desert have a lot of meaning to me.
@Shane73607 this is very true. However as I read this all I think of is our heavenly Father. Which is what we need. The heavenly Father's love. He has run go the world and been drained... He is in need of water (life/The Father). And this is what we are all in need of. It just can be difficult due to our sin nature and chasing wordly desires. But we cannot have both which is where we all struggle with the pull between the world and the living water which would be the love of our heavenly Father Jesus Christ. Thank you for you post. It made me happy whether you meant to write about Christ or not... I felt the love of Christ through your writing and I am able to relate much to this. I struggle between the world and the true love of Christ which I crave so much. Two cravings... (World and love) but sometimes I struggle with looking for that love in the world rather than in the one who truly loves and knows my heart... The alpha and omega... Our heavenly father. Thank you.
@Shane73607 I agree with you.<br /> It just honestly seems more realistic...
@Shane73607 My dad died two years ago today. That is exactly what this song means to me.
@Shane73607 I am very happy to see that you brought this up, and it makes me so extremely happy. Tyler and Josh have said that there songs of course have a meaning that is important to them, but the song is made for you. You take the music and you apply it to yourself, with what it means to you and how it makes you feel. That's the beauty of the band. Thank you for posting that comment, it literally made my day.
@Shane73607 tbf that's a similar relationship to a Christian and their holy father, who is never physically there. I've lost my dad seven years ago, so I see that side of the meaning, but I'm also Christian so I also relate with the religious interpretation
@Shane73607 I'm not an atheist but I prefer to see the song through your interpretation <br />
@Shane73607 I’m an atheist also and I stand with u brother u are right. I like this interpretation. LONG LIVE THE PILOTS
@Shane73607 What you are describing or your interpretation is the literal meaning. While the god interpretation is the figurative meaning. All song lyrics are poems, and they all have a deeper meaning.
@Shane73607 <br /> I value both interpretations. My relationship with my earthly father has been complicated to say the least. Over the years he's kind of disappeared every now and again. Only to show back up just to push me away again somehow. Whether it's basically disowning me because I'm not happy about some club he's joined or the worst insult he can come up with is my gender which somehow makes me horrible, or when he was physically abusive. It ticks me off that it's never been a normal life. <br /> I value the Christian interpretation because I've hit rock bottom multiple times and my faith in God is the only thing that's gotten me through. <br /> This song has a double meaning for me.