"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.
Pain is so beautiful the city of angels
You know who you are it's not that you're
Waiting for so sweet tomorrow in a room full of
Darkness hoping you'll find LIGHTZ
Its' not that you're waiting for so sweet tomorrow
In a room full of darkness hoping you'll find
What the fuck did days become what a phase to run
We don't judge no priest we don't preach we cum
Smoke all of my lungs fuck you I'm having fun
We ain't blind we see, we don't beat we drum
Organize the ways damn this life is a stage grab
The moment and own it I'm lookin forward today
Before I hop on this plane it's important to say goodbye
To my kids you know you better behave
I'm livin outta my soul, fuck it there's no regrets
Hittin Texas we're selling, this cash money a bet
I've seen this ship before and I ain't have no fear
I'm near I'm near I'm near bitch I'm right here
Fuck it ima drink if I don't get a DUI see these tickets sneak up
On you like a sniper eye, yeah, I'm right above the clouds boy
Aint no way, it's time to get it now boy
Pain is so beautiful the city of angels
You know who you are it's not that you're
Waiting for so sweet tomorrow in a room full of
Darkness hoping you'll find LIGHTZ
I had been through this storm, been through the rain
People tellin me lies nobody taking the blame Jumpin
Through all my thoughts like it's a picket fence all
The shit that I've done doesn't really make sense
Show em how to behave, show em how to go far, show em
How to believe, show em just who you are, fell in love with a
Stripper she happy outta my head every fucked up lady you can say
What she said, with every single right I'm always born white
I'm punching these walls and it aint no right no cheese no bite
Come alive through the night and I sleep in the day
That's some vampire life. Cash money metal, I should get a
Medal, going for the gold life don't settle it's a race to the pain beauty
Is a name taggin on my arm cause my life won't change
Pain is so beautiful the city of angels
You know who you are it's not that you're
Waiting for so sweet tomorrow in a room full of
Darkness hoping you'll find LIGHTZ (x2)
You know who you are it's not that you're
Waiting for so sweet tomorrow in a room full of
Darkness hoping you'll find LIGHTZ
Its' not that you're waiting for so sweet tomorrow
In a room full of darkness hoping you'll find
What the fuck did days become what a phase to run
We don't judge no priest we don't preach we cum
Smoke all of my lungs fuck you I'm having fun
We ain't blind we see, we don't beat we drum
Organize the ways damn this life is a stage grab
The moment and own it I'm lookin forward today
Before I hop on this plane it's important to say goodbye
To my kids you know you better behave
I'm livin outta my soul, fuck it there's no regrets
Hittin Texas we're selling, this cash money a bet
I've seen this ship before and I ain't have no fear
I'm near I'm near I'm near bitch I'm right here
Fuck it ima drink if I don't get a DUI see these tickets sneak up
On you like a sniper eye, yeah, I'm right above the clouds boy
Aint no way, it's time to get it now boy
Pain is so beautiful the city of angels
You know who you are it's not that you're
Waiting for so sweet tomorrow in a room full of
Darkness hoping you'll find LIGHTZ
I had been through this storm, been through the rain
People tellin me lies nobody taking the blame Jumpin
Through all my thoughts like it's a picket fence all
The shit that I've done doesn't really make sense
Show em how to behave, show em how to go far, show em
How to believe, show em just who you are, fell in love with a
Stripper she happy outta my head every fucked up lady you can say
What she said, with every single right I'm always born white
I'm punching these walls and it aint no right no cheese no bite
Come alive through the night and I sleep in the day
That's some vampire life. Cash money metal, I should get a
Medal, going for the gold life don't settle it's a race to the pain beauty
Is a name taggin on my arm cause my life won't change
Pain is so beautiful the city of angels
You know who you are it's not that you're
Waiting for so sweet tomorrow in a room full of
Darkness hoping you'll find LIGHTZ (x2)
Lyrics submitted by gothic_hobbit
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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.