"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.
Hudson died in Hudson Bay
The water took its victim's name
The river's rise told Riverside to change their names again
A stranger walked in through the door
Said all apartments are pre-war
We laughed and asked him for his name
He stayed until the end
We watched the Germans play the Greeks
We marked the ninety nine year lease
Our fathers signed
Which I declined to try and comprehend
Over and over again, all these never-ending visions
Over and over again like a prize that's changing hands
The time has a come
The clock is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag
The legendary wooden gate
The first established real estate
Is lost in time like all the crimes
That won this pleasant land
Over and over again, all these never-ending visions
Over and over again like a prize that's changing hands
The time has a come
The clock is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag
Hudson died on Hudson Bay
But I was born on Sutton Place
The rising tide helped me decide to change my name again
Some men tend to linger on and some make haste from Babylon
Some will roam their ruined home, rejoicing 'til the end
Over and over again, all these never-ending visions
Over and over again like a prize that's changing hands
The time has come
The clock is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag
The lines are drawn
The map is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag
The water took its victim's name
The river's rise told Riverside to change their names again
A stranger walked in through the door
Said all apartments are pre-war
We laughed and asked him for his name
He stayed until the end
We watched the Germans play the Greeks
We marked the ninety nine year lease
Our fathers signed
Which I declined to try and comprehend
Over and over again, all these never-ending visions
Over and over again like a prize that's changing hands
The time has a come
The clock is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag
The legendary wooden gate
The first established real estate
Is lost in time like all the crimes
That won this pleasant land
Over and over again, all these never-ending visions
Over and over again like a prize that's changing hands
The time has a come
The clock is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag
Hudson died on Hudson Bay
But I was born on Sutton Place
The rising tide helped me decide to change my name again
Some men tend to linger on and some make haste from Babylon
Some will roam their ruined home, rejoicing 'til the end
Over and over again, all these never-ending visions
Over and over again like a prize that's changing hands
The time has come
The clock is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag
The lines are drawn
The map is such a drag
All you who changed your stripes can wrap me in the flag
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by bobduck, KilgoreTro, itsnine, alianovna, dodgerblue, phoebe9261
Hudson Lyrics as written by Ezra Koenig Christopher William Tomson
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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."
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."
I was reading Battle Royale when I first heard this beautiful song. As I read the book, I realized it related to battle and fighting. I do agree with the war vets interpretation, but I feel like this song was made for the book I read. It's like seeing the kids fight, as they're the victims. The dead,and the two (don't want to spoil) who lived are the vets,the viewpoint.
They remember all of the people and things from the battle, feeling like everything is collapsing above them. Because a winner from the book smiled for the cameras.They couldn't do anything else to cover the pressure. The clock part symbolizes the map and forbidden zones.
idk about you, but that book and the war vets definitely give me whole different feelings about the song.(It's one of my favorites of the album.)
I was going to try and respond to your comment, but then I realized it's impossible to respond to nonsense so I'll just highlight the statements in your comment which don't make any sense.<br /> <br /> "It's like seeing the kids fight, as they're the victims." -- Great explanation.<br /> <br /> "The dead,and the two (don't want to spoil) who lived are the vets,the viewpoint." -- Eh?<br /> <br /> "but I feel like this song was made for the book I read." -- Really, made for the book you happened to be reading?<br /> <br /> "Because a winner from the book smiled for the cameras.They couldn't do anything else to cover the pressure. The clock part symbolizes the map and forbidden zones. " --You're only in middle school, right?<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />