"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.
If I die before I get it done
Will you decide
Take my words and turn them into sounds
That will survive
Because a long time ago
I knew not to deprive
It's safe out there and now you're everywhere
Just like the sky
And you are love, you are the love supreme
You are the rise
And when you hear this, you know it's your jam
It's your goodbye
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the drummer drums
He's gonna play my song
To carry me along
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the boatman comes
To ferry me away
To where we all belong
We all crossed when we were feeling lost
It's just the time
Kateri cried the day her lover died
She recognized
Because you gave her a life of real love
It's no surprise
The night's are long, but the years are short
When you're alive
Way back when we'll never be again
It was a time
It's gonna catch you so glad I met you
To walk a line
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the drummer drums
He's gonna play my song
To carry me along
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the boatman comes
To ferry me away
To where we all belong
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the drummer drums
He's gonna play my song
To carry me along
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the boatman comes
To ferry me away
To where we all belong
Let me live so when it's time to die
Even the reaper cries
Let me die so when it's time to live
Another sun will rise
I said yeah
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah
I said yeah
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the drummer drums
He's gonna play my song
To carry me along
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the boatman comes
To ferry me away
To where we all belong
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
Will you decide
Take my words and turn them into sounds
That will survive
Because a long time ago
I knew not to deprive
It's safe out there and now you're everywhere
Just like the sky
And you are love, you are the love supreme
You are the rise
And when you hear this, you know it's your jam
It's your goodbye
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the drummer drums
He's gonna play my song
To carry me along
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the boatman comes
To ferry me away
To where we all belong
We all crossed when we were feeling lost
It's just the time
Kateri cried the day her lover died
She recognized
Because you gave her a life of real love
It's no surprise
The night's are long, but the years are short
When you're alive
Way back when we'll never be again
It was a time
It's gonna catch you so glad I met you
To walk a line
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the drummer drums
He's gonna play my song
To carry me along
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the boatman comes
To ferry me away
To where we all belong
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the drummer drums
He's gonna play my song
To carry me along
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the boatman comes
To ferry me away
To where we all belong
Let me live so when it's time to die
Even the reaper cries
Let me die so when it's time to live
Another sun will rise
I said yeah
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah
I said yeah
Yeah yeah, yeah yeah
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the drummer drums
He's gonna play my song
To carry me along
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
And when the boatman comes
To ferry me away
To where we all belong
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
Like I said you know I'm almost dead
You know I'm almost gone
Lyrics submitted by BetterOffWithoutYou, edited by tenkai, Kalico37, redeyetreefr0g, culprit
Brendan's Death Song Lyrics as written by Anthony Kiedis Michael Balzary
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Brendan Mullins, an early friend of the Chilis', passed away after suffering a stroke soon after the band hired Josh Klinghoffer as the new guitarist. Soon after, they wrote this song as a tribute to him. He supported them in their early days in L.A. before anyone knew who they were.
I love this song. It's really nice work, and about Brendan Mullen!
The line "And (?) and now you're everywhere just like the sky" should be "It's safe our there, and now you're everywhere just like the sky".
I THINK the line "We all (?) when we were feeling lost its just the times" should be "We all crossed when we were feeling lost it's just the times".
The last four lines are completely different, I'm not sure what they are.
Mullen was working with Blackie Dammett on the Chili Peppers biography, Red Hot Chili Peppers: An Oral/Visual History when he died suddenly after suffering a stroke in 2009 and was unable to complete work on the book though it eventually was finished by Mullen's long-time companion Kateri Butler
The line where it goes "Could Terry cry the day her lover died? She recognized Because he gave her a life of real love, it's no surprise" should be Kateri not could terry.
oh and I believe it goes <br /> Kateri cried the day her lover died, She recognized,<br /> Because he gave her a life of real love, it's no surprise
oh and I believe it goes <br /> Kateri cried the day her lover died, She recognized,<br /> Because he gave her a life of real love, it's no surprise
Thanks. I was trying to google "Terry" in relation to Mr. Mullen and nothing popped up haha
Couldn't it have been Teri for short?
It really sounds like he sing 'Kateri' in the song, without a question mark as well
mullen was also the man that got them started as a band, antony and flea gave him there demo to listen to and he liked it that he gave them a spot in 1 of the shows in L.A
Even though this isn't really the style the Chili Peppers do most often, this is one of my favorite songs by them. I DL'ed this song yesterday and I can't stop listening to it! I think this song is about not being afraid of death. The person to whom the song refers feels like he's lead a good life and he's ready to go. This is one of those songs that gives me chills every time I listen to it.
I was told this song was about a guy who ran a place where bands could just play. like random guys that wanted to play and this is where the Chili Peppers first played. and he was really amazing and he died like 2 years ago.
Either way this song is so phenominal. It makes me really happy and not afraid to die and want to just run at life and do whatever i can. These guys have a real gift. Honest.
Amazing song, so great to see the chili's still making brilliant music.
the line "The nights are long but the years are short when you're alive" is just incredible. really emotive song about death and life. hope my death song will be as good, if not equal to this haha
@rossgreatscott That particular line hits me right in the feels...
Epic lyrics:
"The nights are long But the years are short When you're alive"
Here are the fixed lyrics:
Well, if I die before I get it done, will you decide? I'll take my words and turn them into sounds; he will survive Because a long time ago, I knew not to deprive
It's safe out there and now you're everywhere, just like the sky You are love, you are The Love Supreme, you are the rye And when you hear this, you know it's your jam It's your goodbye
[Chorus] Like I said, You know, I'm almost dead You know, I'm almost gone And when the drummer drums, He's gonna play my song to carry me along Like I said, You know, I'm almost dead You know, I'm almost gone And when the boatman comes to ferry me away To where we all belong
We all crossed when we were feeling lost It's just a time Could Terry cry the day her lover died? She recognized Because he gave her a life of real love, it's no surprise The nights are long, but the years are short when you're alive Way back when will never be again It was a time It's gonna catch you So glad I met you to walk a line
[Chorus]
Come get me Hey! Hey! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
[Chorus]
Let me live so when it's time to die, even the reaper cries Let me die so when it's time to leave, another sun will rise
I said, Yeah! I say, Yeah!
[Chorus]
Like I said, You know I'm almost dead You know I'm almost gone (3x)
A very good song
Lyrics straight from the booklet [with some omitted parts added]:
If I die before I get it done Will you decide To take my words and turn them into signs That will survive? Because a long time ago I knew not to deprive It's safe out there, and now you're everywhere Just like the skies You are love, you are the love supreme You are the rise And when you hear this You'll know it's your jam It's your goodbye
[Chorus] Like I said You know I'm almost dead You know I'm almost gone And when the drummer drums He's going to play my song To carry me along Like I said You know I'm almost dead You know I'm almost gone And when the boatman comes To ferry me away To where we all belong
We all crossed when we were feeling lost It's just the tide Katari cried the day her lover died She recognized Because he gave her A life of real love It's no surprise The nights are long But the years are short When you're alive Way back when Would never be again It was a time It's gonna catch you So glad I met you To walk the line
[Chorus]
(Come and get me...)
(Hey!) (Hey!) (Yeah!) (Yeah!) (Yeah!)
[Chorus]
Let me live So when it's time to die Even the reaper cries Let me die So when it's time to live Another son will rise
I said, yeah Yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah I said, yeah Yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah
(I said, yeah) [Chorus x1] (Yeah, yeah) (Yeah, yeah) [x4]
Like I said You know I'm almost dead You know I'm almost gone [x3]