"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.
Time and time again Lord I keep going through the motions
A means to an end but the ends don't seem to meet
Walking around living the dream anytime I take the notion
Til the truth comes bubbling up so bittersweet
Ain't no point getting outta bed if you ain't living the dream
It's like making a big old pot of coffee when you ain't got no cream
I don't need to change my strings
'Cause the dirt don't hurt the way I sing
Oh, I don't have to do a Goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die
Been waiting on an angel waitress to come and take my order
Tell me all about the special today
Staring at a puddle of mud in my spoon couldn't be much boarder
Hoping them circles on the paper don't call back telling me to start today
That old man upstairs, he wears a crooked smile
Staring down at the chaos he created
He said "son if you ain't having fun just wait a little while
Momma's gonna wash it all away
And she thinks Mercy's overrated"
Ain't no point getting outta bed if you ain't living the dream
It's like making a big old pot of coffee when you ain't got no cream
I don't need to change my strings
'Cause the dirt don't hurt the way I sing
Oh, I don't have to do a Goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die
Oh, I don't have to do a Goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die
A means to an end but the ends don't seem to meet
Walking around living the dream anytime I take the notion
Til the truth comes bubbling up so bittersweet
Ain't no point getting outta bed if you ain't living the dream
It's like making a big old pot of coffee when you ain't got no cream
I don't need to change my strings
'Cause the dirt don't hurt the way I sing
Oh, I don't have to do a Goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die
Been waiting on an angel waitress to come and take my order
Tell me all about the special today
Staring at a puddle of mud in my spoon couldn't be much boarder
Hoping them circles on the paper don't call back telling me to start today
That old man upstairs, he wears a crooked smile
Staring down at the chaos he created
He said "son if you ain't having fun just wait a little while
Momma's gonna wash it all away
And she thinks Mercy's overrated"
Ain't no point getting outta bed if you ain't living the dream
It's like making a big old pot of coffee when you ain't got no cream
I don't need to change my strings
'Cause the dirt don't hurt the way I sing
Oh, I don't have to do a Goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die
Oh, I don't have to do a Goddamn thing except sit around and wait to die
Lyrics submitted by smallwonderrobot, edited by brian10955
Living the Dream Lyrics as written by John Sturgill Simpson
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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/
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.
Momma's gonna wash it all away And she thinks mercy's overrated
I'm guessing "Momma" is Mother Nature?
@Murphyslaw You can find the singer's meaning of the song here: rollingstone.com/music/music-country/sturgill-simpson-takes-down-zealots-in-blistering-online-post-69275/ <br /> I think he may to some degree be speaking about women in general. The album was written after the birth of his son, some of the songs deal with the birth then some of them deal with his own life, I believe this one relates back to his own life to some degree. Momma thinks mercies overrated. Sounds like to me that maybe his mom or some other woman didn't see things his way at one point and gave him hard love--which may have been influenced by her religious background. I think he's really looking at what living the dream is about. "Starring at a puddle of mud" is heroin obviously and the fact he's doing it is because he has not much better to do. Give a man something better to do that's real and maybe he won't be starring a puddle of mud. I think the singer found that performing music is better than most choices in life.
I feel as if this song is about opiate withdrawals. "Staring at the Mudd in my spoon" refers to watching heroine being melted down. I ain't gotta do a goddamn thing except sit around waiting to die.