"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.
I'VE GOT SOME SHIRTS OF YOURS
I GOT A SUIT THAT USED TO BELONG TO YOU
I OUGHTA THROW THEM OUT
CALL THE SALVATION ARMY
GIVE EM TO SOMEONE WHO CAN REALLY USE EM
BUT YOU MIGHT COME BACK
THE DOOR'S NOT BROKEN
IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND
MINE'S STILL OPEN
YOU'LL NEED SOMETHING TO WEAR
TO TAKE ME OUT TO DINNER
CAUSE WE'RE GONNA WANNA CELEBRATE
WE'LL DRINK CHAMPAGNE
I JUST CAN'T WAIT
BUT THEN AGAIN, THE LAST TIME THAT YOU MOVED ON
I CRIED FROM DUSK TIL DAWN
ON SECOND THOUGHT
I GUESS YOU BETTER STAY GONE
I GOT SOME NEWS TODAY
A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME
SHE'D SEEN YOU AROUND
I GOT ALL HOT AND FLUSTERED
I DUSTED OFF YOUR PICTURE
DUG UP MY DIAPHRAGM AND CHECKED IT FOR HOLES
BECAUSE YOU MIGHT COME BACK
YOU'RE HEARTS STILL BEATING
WHAT WAS GOOD BEFORE
CAN BEAR REPEATING
I'VE GOT CANDLES LIT
THE BATHTUB'S OVERFLOWING
CAUSE YOU KNOW YOU LIKE TO TAKE A BATH
SHAMPOO MY HAIR AND MAKE ME LAUGH
BUT THEN AGAIN, THE LAST TIME THAT YOU MOVED ON
I FELT SO STEPPED UPON
ON SECOND THOUGHT
I GUESS YOU'D BETTER STAY GONE
INSTR.
BECAUSE YOU MIGHT COME BACK
THE BELL STILL BUZZES
IF YOU'VE GOT SOME DOUBTS
WHAT COULD BE WAS
IS THERE A SONG YOU'D LIKE
SOME RECORD IN THE PLAYER
CAUSE WE'RE GONNA WANT TO SING AND DANCE
AND GIVE ROMANCE ANOTHER CHANCE
BUT THEN AGAIN THE LAST TIME THAT YOU MOVED ON
LOVE LEFT MY LEXICON
ON SECOND THOUGHT
I GUESS YOU'D BETTER STAY GONE
I GOT A SUIT THAT USED TO BELONG TO YOU
I OUGHTA THROW THEM OUT
CALL THE SALVATION ARMY
GIVE EM TO SOMEONE WHO CAN REALLY USE EM
BUT YOU MIGHT COME BACK
THE DOOR'S NOT BROKEN
IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND
MINE'S STILL OPEN
YOU'LL NEED SOMETHING TO WEAR
TO TAKE ME OUT TO DINNER
CAUSE WE'RE GONNA WANNA CELEBRATE
WE'LL DRINK CHAMPAGNE
I JUST CAN'T WAIT
BUT THEN AGAIN, THE LAST TIME THAT YOU MOVED ON
I CRIED FROM DUSK TIL DAWN
ON SECOND THOUGHT
I GUESS YOU BETTER STAY GONE
I GOT SOME NEWS TODAY
A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME
SHE'D SEEN YOU AROUND
I GOT ALL HOT AND FLUSTERED
I DUSTED OFF YOUR PICTURE
DUG UP MY DIAPHRAGM AND CHECKED IT FOR HOLES
BECAUSE YOU MIGHT COME BACK
YOU'RE HEARTS STILL BEATING
WHAT WAS GOOD BEFORE
CAN BEAR REPEATING
I'VE GOT CANDLES LIT
THE BATHTUB'S OVERFLOWING
CAUSE YOU KNOW YOU LIKE TO TAKE A BATH
SHAMPOO MY HAIR AND MAKE ME LAUGH
BUT THEN AGAIN, THE LAST TIME THAT YOU MOVED ON
I FELT SO STEPPED UPON
ON SECOND THOUGHT
I GUESS YOU'D BETTER STAY GONE
INSTR.
BECAUSE YOU MIGHT COME BACK
THE BELL STILL BUZZES
IF YOU'VE GOT SOME DOUBTS
WHAT COULD BE WAS
IS THERE A SONG YOU'D LIKE
SOME RECORD IN THE PLAYER
CAUSE WE'RE GONNA WANT TO SING AND DANCE
AND GIVE ROMANCE ANOTHER CHANCE
BUT THEN AGAIN THE LAST TIME THAT YOU MOVED ON
LOVE LEFT MY LEXICON
ON SECOND THOUGHT
I GUESS YOU'D BETTER STAY GONE
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Better Stay Gone Lyrics as written by Amy Rigby
Lyrics © DEMI MUSIC CORP. D/B/A LICHELLE MUSIC COMPANY
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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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.
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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,
Magical
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How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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Ed Sheeran
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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.