"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.
Hey man where can I go?
It's too late to find holes in the ocean I know
I said man stay here a while
I'll never find safety in numbers here on the mile
Say man is this in the right?
I wanna heal cracks in the sidewalk and keep it alive
Sat down on the ground and I laid my head down to see
I closed up my eyes as the numbers went by
And that's when I started this dream
Son you're still young but your mind has grown old it
Seems
Now go tell your sister to show me her new magazines
Said man sit for a while
Son he said son how you've only begun on the mile
I've been to the moon and the stars and the go
Inbetweens
Go tell your sis to stop playing with new machines
Tell them to keep things quiet
Man stay here a while
It's too late to find holes in the ocean I know
I said man stay here a while
I'll never find safety in numbers here on the mile
Say man is this in the right?
I wanna heal cracks in the sidewalk and keep it alive
Sat down on the ground and I laid my head down to see
I closed up my eyes as the numbers went by
And that's when I started this dream
Son you're still young but your mind has grown old it
Seems
Now go tell your sister to show me her new magazines
Said man sit for a while
Son he said son how you've only begun on the mile
I've been to the moon and the stars and the go
Inbetweens
Go tell your sis to stop playing with new machines
Tell them to keep things quiet
Man stay here a while
Lyrics submitted by gilmoregirl
...All the Go Inbetweens Lyrics as written by Christopher Andrew Guanlao Brian Nolan Kalei Aubert
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
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.
I think 'thembraincells' and 'staticairways' are pretty close, but way too specific. I agree with it is a sort of crisis, but not mid life. I think it's definitely young person that wants to do something extremely meaningful, but is unsure of what.
The 'holes in the ocean' is just an analogy for new frontiers or discoveries that he/she can't accomplish because they've been done. The 'saftey in numbers' is ambition to do things on his/her own on 'the mile' which I agree to be life. The 'sidewalk' deal is obviously impossible. It represents any impossible idea that someone can strive for in life. This is the 'dream' he/she is asks the 'man' if he/she is 'in the right' about.
The 'man' is sort of double meaningful, as a representation of the stereotypical collected old man. He says he's been to the 'moon and the stars...' in the exaggerated manner of so many old guys telling tall tales to prove points. He just wants 'quite' after he has made his point. (1) He's basically just saying calm down, you're young. (2) He ignores his actual question, and the manner of a stereotypical old man, jumps on technology and pop culture instead. He has no answer. Wise old men are not wise old men.
I'm not sure if this is repeated for meaning or for musical effect. I think more so musical, because it's awesome. But it does show the 'man' continually replies the same thing with nothing new or insightful.
I think you leave the song with: Oneself is the only place to find answers, but don't get too worked up about things. We have time, we're young.
growing up too fast. the person feels defeated by the odds against him. powerless. like is idealism even worth it? he's ready to give up.
the response is: live right now. embrace infinite possibility. don't take yourself too seriously. keep it simple.
I like the other comments on here - They seem to be close to what my take on this song was...
Also, with longer songs they need less explanation - Ironic, eh?
The writer is a child that believes he is beyond the other's around him... As he consults a wiser-person or a role model of some sort - He is told that he is unique, that he can change the world, and he should start with those closest to him.
Wow, great song. This is their trippiest song, it just makes me want to melt.
This song is so awesome.
I think its someone just over thinking everything and has a Forrest Gump moment and just talks it over with some random person [kinda like those creepy people you find on buses]. Instead of ignoring them the 'old man' just tells him/her to stop thinking so hard.
But that doesn't explain what the little sister has got to do with anything.
i love this song, one of the best by silversun. and the guitar riff in the beginning is addicting. I agree with black mofasa, but i too have nooo idea what his sister "playing with new machines" or "new magazines" has anything to do with the song.
whoa
this song
wow
first off, this band is amazing. i feel the lyrics are mixture of past memories, maybe a conversation with a father, about how quickly this individual is growing, and maybe also how he is over thinking things. That would explain what the littler sister has to do with it, if it with it. Just my opinion :) beautiful song for sure.
This song is about a young boy. People think his mind has just grown up to quickly, but really, he is just a lunatic. The song just displays it in a soothing, creepy way.