"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 got the news today
I didn't know what to say
So I just hung up the phone
I took a walk to clear my head
This is where the walking lead
Can't believe you're really gone
Don't feel like going home
So I'm gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
Funny how the good ones go
Too soon, but the good Lord knows
The reasons why, I guess
Sometimes the greater plan is kinda hard to understand
Right now it don't make sense
I can't make it all make sense
So I'm gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
So long my friend, until we meet again
I'll remember you
And all the times that we used to
Sit right here on the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
Drink a beer
Drink a beer, yeah
I didn't know what to say
So I just hung up the phone
I took a walk to clear my head
This is where the walking lead
Can't believe you're really gone
Don't feel like going home
So I'm gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
Funny how the good ones go
Too soon, but the good Lord knows
The reasons why, I guess
Sometimes the greater plan is kinda hard to understand
Right now it don't make sense
I can't make it all make sense
So I'm gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
So long my friend, until we meet again
I'll remember you
And all the times that we used to
Sit right here on the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
Drink a beer
Drink a beer, yeah
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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/
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
It's about the deaths of his sister and brother and how he copes with them.