"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.
I was demanding to be the oh so strong
Truth be told I only want myself to tag along
Following my shadow, loaded with guilt
See what I didn't know was that, patching up only
Makes a quilt
Have to much pleasure from illusions of right
It seems id rather loose a friend then a fight
But I'm not young enough to know everything
See what I do know is
My alter ego is up-coming
I'm slippin'
Cause I cant get me off of this throne
I'm slippin'
Its too much of a comfort zone
I'm slippin'
Cause I cant get me off this throne
I'm slippin'
Cause I cant get me off of this throne its too
Much of a comfort zone
Use persuasion as my strongest approach
I preach my wisdom as a neat friendly poach
Respect you don't get, its something you owe
If your can't do what I do its cause
You reap what you sow
Taking my time sharing my week
Yeah I am good at listening when I hear myself
Speak
Once I swell attention tasted
Enough want do
Every weekend I am wasted
I'm slippin'
Once I swell attention tasted
Enough want to
Every weekend I'm wasted
Truth be told I only want myself to tag along
Following my shadow, loaded with guilt
See what I didn't know was that, patching up only
Makes a quilt
Have to much pleasure from illusions of right
It seems id rather loose a friend then a fight
But I'm not young enough to know everything
See what I do know is
My alter ego is up-coming
I'm slippin'
Cause I cant get me off of this throne
I'm slippin'
Its too much of a comfort zone
I'm slippin'
Cause I cant get me off this throne
I'm slippin'
Cause I cant get me off of this throne its too
Much of a comfort zone
Use persuasion as my strongest approach
I preach my wisdom as a neat friendly poach
Respect you don't get, its something you owe
If your can't do what I do its cause
You reap what you sow
Taking my time sharing my week
Yeah I am good at listening when I hear myself
Speak
Once I swell attention tasted
Enough want do
Every weekend I am wasted
I'm slippin'
Once I swell attention tasted
Enough want to
Every weekend I'm wasted
Lyrics submitted by fabulosity
Slippin' Lyrics as written by Michael A. Gomez Grover Washington Jr.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Sentric Music, Iricom US Ltd, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
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.
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.