"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.
Friday's waiting at the gates of heaven
The weekend starts at seven
We get forty-eight hours of fun
For five days working on the line
For five days
Time to change the look on my face
I'm waiting for the starter's gun
Maybe feeling tired
Maybe feeling empty
Maybe living on your own
You know 'round about seven on a Friday night
Forget about your worries, gonna be alright
Everybody's heading for those days of light
Hot and heavy night's of true love ways
Tomorrow these will be the good old days
Everybody's working for those days of light
Monday's waiting for the week to start up
Back to work and feeling hard up
Things gonna change some day
So dream on everybody's free to dream on
Work hard, love, well, live long
There's really not a better way
So live it all you can
Even when it hurts you
Got to give it all you're got
And know
Everybody's putting on a braver face
Everyone's running in the same race
Everybody's working for those days of light
Everyone's looking for the same release
Everybody's hoping for a mind of peace
Everyone's working for those days of light
'Round about seven on a Friday night
Forget about your worries, gonna be alright
Everybody's working for those days of light
Hot and heavy nights of true love ways
Tomorrow these will be the good old days
Everybody's heading for those days of light
Everybody's putting on a braver face
We're all running in the same race
Everybody's working got to keep on
Working for those days of light
The weekend starts at seven
We get forty-eight hours of fun
For five days working on the line
For five days
Time to change the look on my face
I'm waiting for the starter's gun
Maybe feeling tired
Maybe feeling empty
Maybe living on your own
You know 'round about seven on a Friday night
Forget about your worries, gonna be alright
Everybody's heading for those days of light
Hot and heavy night's of true love ways
Tomorrow these will be the good old days
Everybody's working for those days of light
Monday's waiting for the week to start up
Back to work and feeling hard up
Things gonna change some day
So dream on everybody's free to dream on
Work hard, love, well, live long
There's really not a better way
So live it all you can
Even when it hurts you
Got to give it all you're got
And know
Everybody's putting on a braver face
Everyone's running in the same race
Everybody's working for those days of light
Everyone's looking for the same release
Everybody's hoping for a mind of peace
Everyone's working for those days of light
'Round about seven on a Friday night
Forget about your worries, gonna be alright
Everybody's working for those days of light
Hot and heavy nights of true love ways
Tomorrow these will be the good old days
Everybody's heading for those days of light
Everybody's putting on a braver face
We're all running in the same race
Everybody's working got to keep on
Working for those days of light
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Days of Light Lyrics as written by Roger Daltrey Gerard Mcmahon
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Bee Gees
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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Punchline
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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.