"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.
Don't know where you are
How near or how far
Willing to go
It's time for the show
You learn your part, favorite part
It's when you're my lover
Don't know where to go
Production is slow
Have life as a star
Contained in a jar
If I lay my head down on your knee
Pretend I'm your lover
So many things I want you to think
Think about me
The things you don't see
Things we take away
Baby, look at my face
No one can lie like a lover
If I turn away
Baby, look at my face
No one can lie like a lover
All of my life
It's all in my guy, yeah
Nothings takes me higher
Yeah, yeah
Touching the sun
Is all that I want, yeah
No one takes me higher, yeah
No, no
If there's a way
Out of this maze
Hand me the key
I'll set me free
Touching the sun, all that I want
Is to be your lover
Touching the sun, all that I want
Is to be your lover, yeah
Touching the sun, all that I want
Is to be your lover, yeah
Yeah, yeah
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
To be your lover
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
Yeah, to be your lover
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
To be your lover
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
To be your lover
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
To be your lover
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
How near or how far
Willing to go
It's time for the show
You learn your part, favorite part
It's when you're my lover
Don't know where to go
Production is slow
Have life as a star
Contained in a jar
If I lay my head down on your knee
Pretend I'm your lover
So many things I want you to think
Think about me
The things you don't see
Things we take away
Baby, look at my face
No one can lie like a lover
If I turn away
Baby, look at my face
No one can lie like a lover
All of my life
It's all in my guy, yeah
Nothings takes me higher
Yeah, yeah
Touching the sun
Is all that I want, yeah
No one takes me higher, yeah
No, no
If there's a way
Out of this maze
Hand me the key
I'll set me free
Touching the sun, all that I want
Is to be your lover
Touching the sun, all that I want
Is to be your lover, yeah
Touching the sun, all that I want
Is to be your lover, yeah
Yeah, yeah
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
To be your lover
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
Yeah, to be your lover
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
To be your lover
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
To be your lover
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
To be your lover
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh
La la la la, oh, oh
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Lover Lyrics as written by Edward Reekers
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
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/
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.