"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.
You know sometimes
There come a time in your life
When you love something
You have to let it go
And even though
You might feel there's still something there
You have to wake up
Stop living in a dream
'Cause it's over now
You got to think about you
I have always wondered why
Why I can't live without you babe
And I'm longing to be your lady
I understand that you are leaving
Please don't leave here without me, babe
'Cause I think I might go insane
'Cause everybody needs someone to love
And I know that it's true
And I know that it's you
I don't understand
Why you can't be my man
So I've gotta wake up
Stop living in a dream
Yes I've gotta wake up
'Cause I can't lose the love I never had
Yeah I've gotta wake up
As painful as it seems
Yes I better wake up
I can not lose a love I never had
Every time I close my eyes
I see visions of you and I
Sharing love of a special kind, oh
I got to laugh to keep from crying, yeah
To hide all the pain inside
'Cause I can't get you off my mind
'Cause everybody needs someone to love
And I know that it's true
And I know that it's you
I don't understand
Why you can't be my man
So I've gotta wake up
Stop living in a dream
Yes I've gotta wake up
'Cause I can't lose the love I never had
Yeah I've gotta wake up
As painful as it seems
Yes I better wake up
I can not lose a love I never had
Oh, it made me realize
Honey, I don't wanna live a lie
But you don't know how hard I try
What do I have to lose?
Oh I think a little bit more than you
And I doubt you will see things
Clearer than me, before it's too late
'Cause everybody needs someone to love
And I know that it's true
And I know that it's you
I don't understand
Why you can't be my man
So I've gotta wake up
Stop living in a dream
Yes I've gotta wake up
'Cause I can't lose the love I never had
Yeah I've gotta wake up
As painful as it seems
Yes I better wake up
I can not lose a love I never had
Oh, ya hurt me so bad
I I I got to wake up
Break it down, break it down
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
All the times I've cried
It made me realize
That I was only living a lie
But you don't know how hard I tried
To make sure you were satisfied yeah
'Cause I thought you were only mine
And I doubt if you will see things clearly
Before it's too late, too late, too late
I don't understand why you can't be my man
Oh everybody needs somebody to love
Everybody needs somebody yeah
Oh, do do do
Baby, baby, baby I can't live without you
And I doubt that you will see things clearly
Before it's too late, yeah
Oh you hurt me so, you hurt me so
La la la, la la la
I can't lose, I can't lose
I can not lose, I can not lose
Oh oh oh
I can't lose a love I never had
Oh yeah yeah
There come a time in your life
When you love something
You have to let it go
And even though
You might feel there's still something there
You have to wake up
Stop living in a dream
'Cause it's over now
You got to think about you
I have always wondered why
Why I can't live without you babe
And I'm longing to be your lady
I understand that you are leaving
Please don't leave here without me, babe
'Cause I think I might go insane
'Cause everybody needs someone to love
And I know that it's true
And I know that it's you
I don't understand
Why you can't be my man
So I've gotta wake up
Stop living in a dream
Yes I've gotta wake up
'Cause I can't lose the love I never had
Yeah I've gotta wake up
As painful as it seems
Yes I better wake up
I can not lose a love I never had
Every time I close my eyes
I see visions of you and I
Sharing love of a special kind, oh
I got to laugh to keep from crying, yeah
To hide all the pain inside
'Cause I can't get you off my mind
'Cause everybody needs someone to love
And I know that it's true
And I know that it's you
I don't understand
Why you can't be my man
So I've gotta wake up
Stop living in a dream
Yes I've gotta wake up
'Cause I can't lose the love I never had
Yeah I've gotta wake up
As painful as it seems
Yes I better wake up
I can not lose a love I never had
Oh, it made me realize
Honey, I don't wanna live a lie
But you don't know how hard I try
What do I have to lose?
Oh I think a little bit more than you
And I doubt you will see things
Clearer than me, before it's too late
'Cause everybody needs someone to love
And I know that it's true
And I know that it's you
I don't understand
Why you can't be my man
So I've gotta wake up
Stop living in a dream
Yes I've gotta wake up
'Cause I can't lose the love I never had
Yeah I've gotta wake up
As painful as it seems
Yes I better wake up
I can not lose a love I never had
Oh, ya hurt me so bad
I I I got to wake up
Break it down, break it down
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
All the times I've cried
It made me realize
That I was only living a lie
But you don't know how hard I tried
To make sure you were satisfied yeah
'Cause I thought you were only mine
And I doubt if you will see things clearly
Before it's too late, too late, too late
I don't understand why you can't be my man
Oh everybody needs somebody to love
Everybody needs somebody yeah
Oh, do do do
Baby, baby, baby I can't live without you
And I doubt that you will see things clearly
Before it's too late, yeah
Oh you hurt me so, you hurt me so
La la la, la la la
I can't lose, I can't lose
I can not lose, I can not lose
Oh oh oh
I can't lose a love I never had
Oh yeah yeah
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Love I Never Had Lyrics as written by James Samuel Iii Harris Mary J Blige
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.