"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.
Ragnhild the daughter of Sigurd Hjort
Her father murdered and she was taken
Far away across the fjord, a slave to be her fate forsaken
Halfdan the black the king of Agder
He heard about her beauty and her sadness in life
Rescue the lady make her a queen, set free a slave, gain a wife
There's greatness and grace for the northern race
A strong hand to come, a king for the throne
He shall lead Norway on
Ragnhild's dream. A thorn in her hand grows a tre so high
Ragnhild's dream. Rooted in blood but the branches reach for the sky
A strong han to come, reach for the sun in the sky
Their son is born a child of beauty
Crows a young man strong and fair
Harald Harfarger, Halfdan's son
Looking for dangers few man dare
King Halfdan he died at the age of forty
Leaving his people to Odin he rode
Harald must rule the kingdom of Agder
Praying to Thor, fate will unfold
There's greatness and grace for the northern race
A strong hand to come, a king for the throne
He shall lead Norway on
Ragnhild's dream. A thorn in her hand grows a tre so high
Ragnhild's dream. Rooted in blood but the branches reach for the sky
Her father murdered and she was taken
Far away across the fjord, a slave to be her fate forsaken
Halfdan the black the king of Agder
He heard about her beauty and her sadness in life
Rescue the lady make her a queen, set free a slave, gain a wife
There's greatness and grace for the northern race
A strong hand to come, a king for the throne
He shall lead Norway on
Ragnhild's dream. A thorn in her hand grows a tre so high
Ragnhild's dream. Rooted in blood but the branches reach for the sky
A strong han to come, reach for the sun in the sky
Their son is born a child of beauty
Crows a young man strong and fair
Harald Harfarger, Halfdan's son
Looking for dangers few man dare
King Halfdan he died at the age of forty
Leaving his people to Odin he rode
Harald must rule the kingdom of Agder
Praying to Thor, fate will unfold
There's greatness and grace for the northern race
A strong hand to come, a king for the throne
He shall lead Norway on
Ragnhild's dream. A thorn in her hand grows a tre so high
Ragnhild's dream. Rooted in blood but the branches reach for the sky
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Ragnhild's Dream Lyrics as written by Thomas Goettlich Bjoern Eilen
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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,
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.