"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.
That boy take me away into the night
Out of the hum of the street lights and into a forest
I'll do whatever you say to me in the dark
Scared I'll be torn apart by a wolf in mask
Of a familiar name on a birthday card
Blow out all the candles
Blow out all the candles
"You're too old to be so shy"
He says to me so I stay the night
Just a young heart confusing my mind
But we're both in silence
Wide-eyed, both in silence
Wide-eyed, like we're in a crime scene
Well, I have brittle bones it seems
I bite my tongue and I torch my dreams
Have a little voice to speak with
And a mind of thoughts and secrecy
Things cannot be reversed
We learn from the times that we are cursed
Things cannot be reversed
Learn from the ones we fear the worst
And learn from the ones we hate the most how to
Blow out all the candles
Blow out all the candles
"You're too old to be so shy"
He says to me so I stay the night
Just a young heart confusing my mind
But we're both in silence
Wide-eyed, both in silence
Wide-eyed
'Cause we both know
I'll never be your lover
I only bring the heat
Company under cover
Filling space in your sheets
Well, I'll never be a lover
I only bring the heat
Company under cover
Filling space in your sheets
In your sheets
So, please just blow out all the candles
Blow out all the candles
"You're too old to be so shy,"
He says to me so I stay the night
It's just a young heart confusing my mind
But we're both in silence
Wide-eyed, both in silence
Wide-eyed, like we're in a crime scene
Out of the hum of the street lights and into a forest
I'll do whatever you say to me in the dark
Scared I'll be torn apart by a wolf in mask
Of a familiar name on a birthday card
Blow out all the candles
Blow out all the candles
"You're too old to be so shy"
He says to me so I stay the night
Just a young heart confusing my mind
But we're both in silence
Wide-eyed, both in silence
Wide-eyed, like we're in a crime scene
Well, I have brittle bones it seems
I bite my tongue and I torch my dreams
Have a little voice to speak with
And a mind of thoughts and secrecy
Things cannot be reversed
We learn from the times that we are cursed
Things cannot be reversed
Learn from the ones we fear the worst
And learn from the ones we hate the most how to
Blow out all the candles
Blow out all the candles
"You're too old to be so shy"
He says to me so I stay the night
Just a young heart confusing my mind
But we're both in silence
Wide-eyed, both in silence
Wide-eyed
'Cause we both know
I'll never be your lover
I only bring the heat
Company under cover
Filling space in your sheets
Well, I'll never be a lover
I only bring the heat
Company under cover
Filling space in your sheets
In your sheets
So, please just blow out all the candles
Blow out all the candles
"You're too old to be so shy,"
He says to me so I stay the night
It's just a young heart confusing my mind
But we're both in silence
Wide-eyed, both in silence
Wide-eyed, like we're in a crime scene
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This song has always stirred in me memories of high school where innocents are trying to become adults too soon. Where young girls discover they can receive love from a man not only through means of boyfriend/girlfriend but instead by pleasing him sexually. Feeling that in a sense at least the one you care about is yours even if morally you know it’s not healthy.
“That boy, take me away, into the night Out of the hum of the street lights and into a forest I’ll do whatever you say to me in the dark Scared I’ll be torn apart by a wolf in mask A familiar name on a birthday card
Blow out all the candles, blow out all the candles “You’re too old to be so shy,” he says to me so I stay the night Just a young heart confusing my mind, but we’re both in silence Wide-eyed, both in silence Wide-eyed, like we’re in a crime scene”
She is infatuated with him and will do anything he asks even if it feels morally upsetting but afraid her family won’t agree with her actions if they knew. With the letting go of her innocence she “blows at all the candles” and her young eager heart is confusing her more rationalizing mind and afterwards what she has done seems to be a crime.
“Well I have brittle bones it seems I bite my tongue and I torch my dreams Have a little voice to speak with And a mind of thoughts and secrecy Things cannot be reversed, we learn from the times we are cursed That things cannot be reversed, learn from the ones we fear the worst And learn from the ones we hate the most, how to
Blow out all the candles, blow out all the candles “You’re too old to be so shy,” he says to me so I stay the night It’s just a young heart confusing my mind, but we’re both in silence Wide-eyed, both in silence Wide-eyed”
She hides this inside but knows she is but a child who has committed an adult act. Her silence about the confusing emotions create secrets and pain her, she can never take back what she has done.
“Cause we both know I’ll never be your lover I only bring the heat Company under covers Filling space in your sheets Well I’ll never be your lover I only bring the heat Company under cover Filling space in your sheets, in your sheets
So, please just blow out all the candles, blow out all the candles “You’re too old to be so shy,” he says to me so I stay the night It’s just a young heart confusing my mind, but we’re both in silence Wide-eyed, both in silence Wide-eyed, like we’re in a crime scene.”
She’ll never truly be his but she will do whatever it takes to be apart of his life even if deep down she doesn’t feel one hundred percent comfortable with it. If sex is the key then she will fill the space between his sheets to feel him near and to receive some form of love from him.