"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's when the music takes me
Takes to a brighter day
That's when the music takes me
Helpin' me to find my way
When the day is so long that I can't hold on
When I'm down and I think my hope is gone
Oooh, Yeah,
That's when the music takes me
Closer to a brighter daaaay
I can feel my soul explodin'
There's a good feelin'
Helpin' me to find my waaay
My, my, my way
When the bluebird sings her sad, sad song
And the wind brings a cold to tag along
Oh, yeah,
I can feel the spirit move me
I can almost touch the sky
Reachin' for a new tomorrow
I know it's hard
But music makes me waaaaanna try
Wanna try
And then
That's when the music takes me
Takes to a brighter day
Yeah, yeah
That's when the music takes me
Helpin' me to find my way
(That's when the music takes me)
(That's when the music takes me)
Oh, yeah
But when the music takes me
Closer to a brighter day
I can feel my soul explodin'
There's a good feelin'
Helpin' me to fiiiiiiind my waaay
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And then I'm sayin'
That's when the music takes me
Takes to a brighter day
Yeah, yeah, yeah
That's when the music takes me
Helpin' me to find my way
(Clap)
Happy, happy, happy day
Happy, happy, happy day
Happy, happy, happy day
(That's when the music takes me)
(That's when the music takes me)
(That's when the music takes me)
(And that's when the music takes me)
Happy, happy when the music takes
Whooooooo
Takes to a brighter day
That's when the music takes me
Helpin' me to find my way
When the day is so long that I can't hold on
When I'm down and I think my hope is gone
Oooh, Yeah,
That's when the music takes me
Closer to a brighter daaaay
I can feel my soul explodin'
There's a good feelin'
Helpin' me to find my waaay
My, my, my way
When the bluebird sings her sad, sad song
And the wind brings a cold to tag along
Oh, yeah,
I can feel the spirit move me
I can almost touch the sky
Reachin' for a new tomorrow
I know it's hard
But music makes me waaaaanna try
Wanna try
And then
That's when the music takes me
Takes to a brighter day
Yeah, yeah
That's when the music takes me
Helpin' me to find my way
(That's when the music takes me)
(That's when the music takes me)
Oh, yeah
But when the music takes me
Closer to a brighter day
I can feel my soul explodin'
There's a good feelin'
Helpin' me to fiiiiiiind my waaay
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
And then I'm sayin'
That's when the music takes me
Takes to a brighter day
Yeah, yeah, yeah
That's when the music takes me
Helpin' me to find my way
(Clap)
Happy, happy, happy day
Happy, happy, happy day
Happy, happy, happy day
(That's when the music takes me)
(That's when the music takes me)
(That's when the music takes me)
(And that's when the music takes me)
Happy, happy when the music takes
Whooooooo
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
That's When the Music Takes Me Lyrics as written by Neil Sedaka Howard Greenfield
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.