"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.
"Look at me, I am a dying man.
My son, I can no longer watch over you.
All I know, I have passed onto you,
As you will for others.
It is my gift to you. Leave on your own,
Leave this all behind.
You bear the powers of a second sight,
You hold the courage to believe.
No swords, no magic, no spell can touch what you own."
Now you stand alone, I leave my throne for you
Seek and find the truth, my mission here is done
Set your aims up high, you bear the second sight
I now pass onto you the knowledge of the wise
You were the firstborn and chosen to be king
Lead your troops, and I'll be there
Your legend lives on
Your name is carved in stone
The story of the chosen one, one courage to believe
It's the destiny of bringing it all home
Holds the sense of time to come
In my name, the legend lives on
My names says victory, so I ride ahead of all
My mission will not fail, for vengeance is my thirst
Return with and filled with calm and glorious to be
Now we stand as one and the legend will live on
On the winds rides the memory
Of your time long gone
My son, I can no longer watch over you.
All I know, I have passed onto you,
As you will for others.
It is my gift to you. Leave on your own,
Leave this all behind.
You bear the powers of a second sight,
You hold the courage to believe.
No swords, no magic, no spell can touch what you own."
Now you stand alone, I leave my throne for you
Seek and find the truth, my mission here is done
Set your aims up high, you bear the second sight
I now pass onto you the knowledge of the wise
You were the firstborn and chosen to be king
Lead your troops, and I'll be there
Your legend lives on
Your name is carved in stone
The story of the chosen one, one courage to believe
It's the destiny of bringing it all home
Holds the sense of time to come
In my name, the legend lives on
My names says victory, so I ride ahead of all
My mission will not fail, for vengeance is my thirst
Return with and filled with calm and glorious to be
Now we stand as one and the legend will live on
On the winds rides the memory
Of your time long gone
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Legend Lives On Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
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.
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,
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.