"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.
When I returned everyone who'd wished me well two years ago was scared
'Freedom Fighter' is what they'd said but they don't know it was like a jail over there
I can't sleep without the screams, I can't dream without the feel of desert sun on my face
So you're leaving with the kids, claiming that for now your Mom's is just a safer place
But the only thing that got me through was knowing that
Someday I'd be coming home to you and the love that we made
Where is my parade? Where is my welcome home?
Where is my parade? Where is my welcome home?
Guess I should have stayed with the concrete and the chrome
When I got free all my friends stopped by once and never called again
Unwelcome for my sin, they 'peace' but it was like a warzone in that pen
I can't go out without the stares, I can't ask for work without the stain on my hands
So you're saying you've moved on, claiming that five years is too long to wait for a man
But the only thing that got me through was knowing that
Someday I'd be coming home to you and the love that we made
Where is my parade? Where is my welcome home?
Where is my parade? Where is my welcome home?
Guess I should have stayed with the concrete and the chrome
I should have stayed
'Freedom Fighter' is what they'd said but they don't know it was like a jail over there
I can't sleep without the screams, I can't dream without the feel of desert sun on my face
So you're leaving with the kids, claiming that for now your Mom's is just a safer place
But the only thing that got me through was knowing that
Someday I'd be coming home to you and the love that we made
Where is my parade? Where is my welcome home?
Where is my parade? Where is my welcome home?
Guess I should have stayed with the concrete and the chrome
When I got free all my friends stopped by once and never called again
Unwelcome for my sin, they 'peace' but it was like a warzone in that pen
I can't go out without the stares, I can't ask for work without the stain on my hands
So you're saying you've moved on, claiming that five years is too long to wait for a man
But the only thing that got me through was knowing that
Someday I'd be coming home to you and the love that we made
Where is my parade? Where is my welcome home?
Where is my parade? Where is my welcome home?
Guess I should have stayed with the concrete and the chrome
I should have stayed
Lyrics submitted by uublog
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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/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.