"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.
In oversharing times
Under some weary skies
Forgotten how to try
Everything you say sounds like a lie
The fog that greets the man
As old as time began
Is no more clearer now
I think we understand even less somehow
The bottle green of the water on the streets
It's climbing higher and higher in defeat
We never drown cause we keep kicking our feet
So rally all of your friends cause they're your fleet
It's just the same things that we don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
It's just the same things that we don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
What is a truthful state
Is it one you create?
A boat you built for sea
All you need now is some company
I no longer share my bed
With anyone who said
"So I enjoyed your show
Now you can tell me where you want to go"
I wish the chaos could swirl right out of me
So who's cut out for this world that you can see?
If I was trying I'd never make the team
Just making peace with my fickle hopes and dreams
It's just the same things that I don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's just the same things
It's just the same things that I don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
You paint the picture of future memories
Then mod a fire with sticks and dirty leaves
So grab a hold of the only one who sees
And see it clearly you're never gonna be
It's just the same things that I don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's just the same things
It's just the same things that I don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
It's just the same things, oh
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
It's just the same things, just the same things, just the same things
It's just the same things that we don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
Under some weary skies
Forgotten how to try
Everything you say sounds like a lie
The fog that greets the man
As old as time began
Is no more clearer now
I think we understand even less somehow
The bottle green of the water on the streets
It's climbing higher and higher in defeat
We never drown cause we keep kicking our feet
So rally all of your friends cause they're your fleet
It's just the same things that we don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
It's just the same things that we don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
What is a truthful state
Is it one you create?
A boat you built for sea
All you need now is some company
I no longer share my bed
With anyone who said
"So I enjoyed your show
Now you can tell me where you want to go"
I wish the chaos could swirl right out of me
So who's cut out for this world that you can see?
If I was trying I'd never make the team
Just making peace with my fickle hopes and dreams
It's just the same things that I don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's just the same things
It's just the same things that I don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
You paint the picture of future memories
Then mod a fire with sticks and dirty leaves
So grab a hold of the only one who sees
And see it clearly you're never gonna be
It's just the same things that I don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's just the same things
It's just the same things that I don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
It's just the same things, oh
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
It's just the same things, just the same things, just the same things
It's just the same things that we don't know
It's just the same things, it's the same things, it's the same things
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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
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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,
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.