"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.
Staay alive
And breathe again, yeah
So stoned and bold
But I'm alive
Staay alive
At least until the dawn, yeah
I want you
Standing up here on top of mountains
I will crave you
Standing up here on top of tall buildings
I will crave and wave so long, yeah
I want you
California --- California --- California eyes
California --- California --- California
California --- California --- California eyes
California --- California --- California
Staay alive
And breathe again, yeaaayeah
I want you, yeah
Staay alive
At least until the dawn, yeah
I want you, (yeah)
Standing up here on top of mountains
I will crave you
Standing up here on top of tall buildings
I will crave and wave so long, yeah
I want you
California --- California --- California eyes
California --- California --- California
California --- California --- California eyes
California --- California --- California
And breathe again, yeah
So stoned and bold
But I'm alive
Staay alive
At least until the dawn, yeah
I want you
Standing up here on top of mountains
I will crave you
Standing up here on top of tall buildings
I will crave and wave so long, yeah
I want you
California --- California --- California eyes
California --- California --- California
California --- California --- California eyes
California --- California --- California
Staay alive
And breathe again, yeaaayeah
I want you, yeah
Staay alive
At least until the dawn, yeah
I want you, (yeah)
Standing up here on top of mountains
I will crave you
Standing up here on top of tall buildings
I will crave and wave so long, yeah
I want you
California --- California --- California eyes
California --- California --- California
California --- California --- California eyes
California --- California --- California
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Staay Alive Lyrics as written by Robin Hugh Gibb Barry Gibb
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.