"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.
Uh huh, uh huh
Uh huh, uh huh
So So Def
Yeah, yeah
In the Ferrari or Jaguar, switchin' four lanes
With the top down screamin' out, money ain't a thang
Bubble hard in the double R, flashing the rings (uh)
With the window cracked, holla back, money ain't a thang
Jigga, I don't like it if it don't gleam clean (what, uh?)
And to hell with the price 'cause the money ain't a thang
Put it down hard for my dogs that's locked in the bing (uh-huh)
When you hit the bricks, new whips, money ain't a thang (c'mon)
Come on, y'all wanna floss with us (c'mon)
'Cause all across the board we burn it up (yeah)
Drop a little paper, baby toss it up (yeah)
Slackin' on your pimpin' (uh), turn it up
See the money ain't a thang
I flex the Rol', sign a check for yo' ho
Jigga's style is love, X and O (uh)
Save all your accolades, just the dough
My game is wide, all lames aside
Trying to stay alive, hundred thou' for the bracelet
Foolish, ain't I? The chain'll strain ya eye (bling)
Twin platinum guns, son, aim for the sky
Ice on my bullet, you die soon as I pull it
Willies wanna rub shoulders, your money's too young
See me when it gets older, ya bank account grow up
Mine's is one-zero-zero-zero-oh-doub'
Damn near out the rear trunk when I roll up (yeah)
Multi 'til I close up, it's all basic
I been spending hunnids since they had small faces (yeah)
Rob your stash house, doubled out down in Vegas
Me and J.D. got it locked crazy
Where you at haters?
In the Ferrari or Jaguar, switchin' four lanes
With the top down screamin' out, money ain't a thang
Bubble hard in the double R, flashing the rings
With the window cracked, holla back, money ain't a thang
Jigga, I don't like it if it don't gleam clean
And to hell with the price 'cause the money ain't a thang
Put it down hard for my dogs that's locked in the bing
When you hit the bricks, new whips, money ain't a thang
Y'all wanna floss with us
'Cause all across the board, we burnin' up
Drop a little paper, baby toss it up
You slackin' on your pimpin', turn it up (yeah)
See the money ain't a thang
My cake thick, I live the life
Eating crab, watching bitches shake shit all night
I make the big moves (big moves), do the big things (big things)
Take small groups, turn them into big names
The big dog with the big chain, frostbit bracelet to match
Cats say I'm the shit, man (yeah)
The type of nigga that you need in yo' crew
Type of dude that will do shit you won't do, can't do
Get more burn than a candle
Too hot to hold, too much to handle
In the black C-low, he know if she look
She go bye-bye with da-da and I ain't gotta say no mo'
I'm "The Truth" like A.I., got the proof and stay fly
In the safest shit you could never buy
Know why? 'Cause I write the songs that the whole world sing
I don't know about y'all, but every night I swing
In the Ferrari or Jaguar, switchin' four lanes
With the top down screamin' out, money ain't a thang
Bubble hard in the double R, flashing the rings
With the window cracked, holla back, money ain't a thang
Jigga, I don't like it if it don't gleam clean
And to hell with the price 'cause the money ain't a thang
Put it down hard for my dogs that's locked in the bing
When you hit the bricks, new whips, money ain't a thang
Y'all wanna floss with us (uh-huh)
'Cause all across the board we burn it up (what?)
Drop a little paper, baby toss it up (yeah)
Slackin' on your pimpin' (uh), turn it up
See the money ain't a thang
Y'all shit ain't for real 'til y'all ship a mil' (uh)
And ya hit a R&B chick and she fit the bill
Said she loved my necklace, started relaxing
Now that's what the fuck I call a chain reaction (whoa)
Went from wholesome to Jigga, you awe-some (uh)
Baby, I don't play all my jewelry is light grey (haha)
Platinum, spend your whole life in the day
What's down is a bet, roll the dice
Yeah, yeah, so let's play
So what you went gold and rock a Rollie with the ice bezel?
It's gon' take a lot mo' to see my level (uh-huh)
Where I'm at, your check, you better double that (double that)
And personally your raps is where the trouble at
I'm a Benz bubble cat, leather with the wood grain
In the platinum frame, screamin' 'It's not a game'
Gleamin', from ear to ear, wrist to wrist, ring and chain
Even me and Jay-Z got it locked, crazy (haha)
In the Ferrari or Jaguar, switchin' four lanes
With the top down screamin' out, money ain't a thang
Bubble hard in the double R, flashin' the rings
With the window cracked, holler back, money ain't a thang
Jigga, I don't like it if it don't gleam clean
And to hell with the price 'cause the money ain't a thang
Put it down hard for my dogs that's locked in the bing
When you hit the bricks, new whips, money ain't a thang
Y'all wanna floss with us (uh-huh)
'Cause all across the board we burn it up (what?)
Drop a little paper, baby toss it up (yeah)
Slackin' on your pimpin' (uh), turn it up
See the money ain't a thang
So So Def, Roc-A-Fella, collabo
You know, all we do is
Rock, rock on
Uh huh, uh huh
So So Def
Yeah, yeah
In the Ferrari or Jaguar, switchin' four lanes
With the top down screamin' out, money ain't a thang
Bubble hard in the double R, flashing the rings (uh)
With the window cracked, holla back, money ain't a thang
Jigga, I don't like it if it don't gleam clean (what, uh?)
And to hell with the price 'cause the money ain't a thang
Put it down hard for my dogs that's locked in the bing (uh-huh)
When you hit the bricks, new whips, money ain't a thang (c'mon)
Come on, y'all wanna floss with us (c'mon)
'Cause all across the board we burn it up (yeah)
Drop a little paper, baby toss it up (yeah)
Slackin' on your pimpin' (uh), turn it up
See the money ain't a thang
I flex the Rol', sign a check for yo' ho
Jigga's style is love, X and O (uh)
Save all your accolades, just the dough
My game is wide, all lames aside
Trying to stay alive, hundred thou' for the bracelet
Foolish, ain't I? The chain'll strain ya eye (bling)
Twin platinum guns, son, aim for the sky
Ice on my bullet, you die soon as I pull it
Willies wanna rub shoulders, your money's too young
See me when it gets older, ya bank account grow up
Mine's is one-zero-zero-zero-oh-doub'
Damn near out the rear trunk when I roll up (yeah)
Multi 'til I close up, it's all basic
I been spending hunnids since they had small faces (yeah)
Rob your stash house, doubled out down in Vegas
Me and J.D. got it locked crazy
Where you at haters?
In the Ferrari or Jaguar, switchin' four lanes
With the top down screamin' out, money ain't a thang
Bubble hard in the double R, flashing the rings
With the window cracked, holla back, money ain't a thang
Jigga, I don't like it if it don't gleam clean
And to hell with the price 'cause the money ain't a thang
Put it down hard for my dogs that's locked in the bing
When you hit the bricks, new whips, money ain't a thang
Y'all wanna floss with us
'Cause all across the board, we burnin' up
Drop a little paper, baby toss it up
You slackin' on your pimpin', turn it up (yeah)
See the money ain't a thang
My cake thick, I live the life
Eating crab, watching bitches shake shit all night
I make the big moves (big moves), do the big things (big things)
Take small groups, turn them into big names
The big dog with the big chain, frostbit bracelet to match
Cats say I'm the shit, man (yeah)
The type of nigga that you need in yo' crew
Type of dude that will do shit you won't do, can't do
Get more burn than a candle
Too hot to hold, too much to handle
In the black C-low, he know if she look
She go bye-bye with da-da and I ain't gotta say no mo'
I'm "The Truth" like A.I., got the proof and stay fly
In the safest shit you could never buy
Know why? 'Cause I write the songs that the whole world sing
I don't know about y'all, but every night I swing
In the Ferrari or Jaguar, switchin' four lanes
With the top down screamin' out, money ain't a thang
Bubble hard in the double R, flashing the rings
With the window cracked, holla back, money ain't a thang
Jigga, I don't like it if it don't gleam clean
And to hell with the price 'cause the money ain't a thang
Put it down hard for my dogs that's locked in the bing
When you hit the bricks, new whips, money ain't a thang
Y'all wanna floss with us (uh-huh)
'Cause all across the board we burn it up (what?)
Drop a little paper, baby toss it up (yeah)
Slackin' on your pimpin' (uh), turn it up
See the money ain't a thang
Y'all shit ain't for real 'til y'all ship a mil' (uh)
And ya hit a R&B chick and she fit the bill
Said she loved my necklace, started relaxing
Now that's what the fuck I call a chain reaction (whoa)
Went from wholesome to Jigga, you awe-some (uh)
Baby, I don't play all my jewelry is light grey (haha)
Platinum, spend your whole life in the day
What's down is a bet, roll the dice
Yeah, yeah, so let's play
So what you went gold and rock a Rollie with the ice bezel?
It's gon' take a lot mo' to see my level (uh-huh)
Where I'm at, your check, you better double that (double that)
And personally your raps is where the trouble at
I'm a Benz bubble cat, leather with the wood grain
In the platinum frame, screamin' 'It's not a game'
Gleamin', from ear to ear, wrist to wrist, ring and chain
Even me and Jay-Z got it locked, crazy (haha)
In the Ferrari or Jaguar, switchin' four lanes
With the top down screamin' out, money ain't a thang
Bubble hard in the double R, flashin' the rings
With the window cracked, holler back, money ain't a thang
Jigga, I don't like it if it don't gleam clean
And to hell with the price 'cause the money ain't a thang
Put it down hard for my dogs that's locked in the bing
When you hit the bricks, new whips, money ain't a thang
Y'all wanna floss with us (uh-huh)
'Cause all across the board we burn it up (what?)
Drop a little paper, baby toss it up (yeah)
Slackin' on your pimpin' (uh), turn it up
See the money ain't a thang
So So Def, Roc-A-Fella, collabo
You know, all we do is
Rock, rock on
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Money Ain't a Thang Lyrics as written by Steve Arrington Jermaine Dupri
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, 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
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.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.