"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.
Living in a city of sleepless people
Who all know the limits and won't go too far outside the lines
'Cause they're out of their minds
I wanna get out and build my own home
On a street where reality is not much different from dreams I've had
A dream is all I have
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night
And I'm alright
Creep past the hours like the shorter hand on the clock
Hanging on a wall of a schoolhouse somewhere
We wait for the bell
And we dream of somewhere else
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night
And I'm alright
It's not that I won't remember where I'm from
Just don't wanna be here no more
It's not enough (we're only half alive)
I'm gonna go (we're only half alive)
Where the rest of the dreamers go
Where the dreamers go
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night
And I'm alright
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreamer, we used to be half alive
Now I'm alright
I'm alright, I'm alright
Who all know the limits and won't go too far outside the lines
'Cause they're out of their minds
I wanna get out and build my own home
On a street where reality is not much different from dreams I've had
A dream is all I have
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night
And I'm alright
Creep past the hours like the shorter hand on the clock
Hanging on a wall of a schoolhouse somewhere
We wait for the bell
And we dream of somewhere else
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night
And I'm alright
It's not that I won't remember where I'm from
Just don't wanna be here no more
It's not enough (we're only half alive)
I'm gonna go (we're only half alive)
Where the rest of the dreamers go
Where the dreamers go
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night
And I'm alright
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time
Daydreamer, we used to be half alive
Now I'm alright
I'm alright, I'm alright
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by nanders
Daydreaming Lyrics as written by Taylor Benjamin York Hayley Nichole Williams
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Hayley wrote about 'Daydreaming':
Looking back on the months before we moved to California, I was having the worst time just getting through my daily life. I didn't want to see anyone I knew in Nashville. I felt lonely and sad and a little hurt. For whatever reason I just felt like there was more out there for me but it wasn't wherever I was. Not "more" as in success, or any type of worldly gain... but I just felt like my heart should be happier. I was constantly dreaming up a brighter life in my head. Trying to figure out what to do to get there. When we moved to LA, even the physical act of getting away wasn't really helping. At that point, I felt completely lost. If I was this far away from my problems and I still felt alone and down... then where could I go to feel any less alone? It took a few weeks. It took getting up every morning and just deciding I was right where I needed to be. It took singing "Daydreaming" out loud in front of a mic in the studio and turning it into a reality. Now I look back at that season of my life with such a deep nostalgia. Growing pains sometimes hurt like heartache. In the moments that you feel change happening and you feel your heart, mind, body and soul resisting it with all your might, try not resisting for only a moment. Go with it, even! It's like that quote I've always loved by Anias Nin... "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom". Don't miss a chance to move forward. Daydream a little. Don't be scared to embrace the way that it hurts just to grow. You'll look back and your heart will thank you for not standing still when what you needed the most was to move forward.
Living in a city of sleepless people (like any other city people work and work all days long.) Who all know the limits and won’t go too far outside the lines (the people live inside their comfortzone) 'Cause they're out of their minds (basically they're blind for the real life. In their minds certain things in their lifes will make them happy, for example money. They think we are out of our minds but actually they are.) I wanna get out and build my own home (I want to create my own life the way I want it. If I wanna live in the middle of the jungle let me.) On a street where reality is not much different from dreams I've had (where my dreams come true. ) A dream is all I have (my dream is basically all i live for)
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night And I'm alright ( I'm ok though i live with all these dreams not coming true.)
Creep past the hours like the shorter hand on the clock (trying to make the hours go quickly, just wanna make them pass ) Hanging on a wall of a schoolhouse somewhere We wait for the bell And we dream of somewhere else
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night And I'm alright
It's not that I won’t remember where I'm from (even if I live in the jungle or whatever and even though I would like to leave this place someday I won't be ashamed of this place this us where I'm from right?) Just don't wanna be here no more (though this is just not where I want to live my life.) It's not enough (we’re only half alive) (this city, country whatever is not enough for me. We're not living life to the fullest. We're only kinda living it, only half) I’m gonna go (we're only half alive) (I'm gonna leave this freaking place.) Where the rest of the dreamers go ( and I'm gonna go where people like me go. I don't think they're pointing at a special location like Southafrica or somewhere i think It's more about going to a place you love.) Where the dreamers go
Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time Daydreaming, daydreaming into the night And I'm alright Daydreaming, daydreaming all the time Daydreamer, we used to be half alive Now I'm alright I'm alright, I'm alright
Such a nice song. And as soon as I heard it, I knew Blondie had inspired this song a bit.