"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.
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
The big bad wolf, the big bad wolf
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
Tra la la la la
Long ago there were three pigs
Little handsome piggy wigs
For the big, bad the very big, very bad wolf
They did not give three figs
Number one was very gay
And he built his house with hay
With a hey hey toot he blew on his flute
And he played around all day
Now number two was fond of jigs
And so he built his house with twigs
Hey, diddle diddle he played on his fiddle
And danced with lady pigs
Number three said, "Nix on tricks
I shall build my house with bricks"
He had no chance to sing or dance
'Cause work and play don't mix
Ha, ha, ha, the two little do little pigs
Just winked and laughed ah, woo
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
The big bad wolf, the big bad wolf
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
Tra la la la la
Came the day when fate did frown
And a wolf blew into town
With a gruff huff puff, he puffed just enough
And the hay house fell right down
One and two were scared to death
Of the big bad wolf's breath
By the hair of your chinny chin I'll blow you in
And the twig house answered yes
No one left but number three
To save that piglet family
So when they knocked, he fast unlocked
And said come in with me
Now they all were safe inside
But the bricks hurt wolf's pride
So, he slid down the chimney and oh, by Jiminey
In a fire he was fried
Oh, oh, oh, the three little free little pigs
Just winked and laughed, ah, woo
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
The big bad wolf, the big bad wolf
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
Tra la la la la
Tra la la, tra la la
Tra la la la la la la la la la la
Who's afraid of the big, big, big
Bad wolf
The big bad wolf, the big bad wolf
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
Tra la la la la
Long ago there were three pigs
Little handsome piggy wigs
For the big, bad the very big, very bad wolf
They did not give three figs
Number one was very gay
And he built his house with hay
With a hey hey toot he blew on his flute
And he played around all day
Now number two was fond of jigs
And so he built his house with twigs
Hey, diddle diddle he played on his fiddle
And danced with lady pigs
Number three said, "Nix on tricks
I shall build my house with bricks"
He had no chance to sing or dance
'Cause work and play don't mix
Ha, ha, ha, the two little do little pigs
Just winked and laughed ah, woo
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
The big bad wolf, the big bad wolf
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
Tra la la la la
Came the day when fate did frown
And a wolf blew into town
With a gruff huff puff, he puffed just enough
And the hay house fell right down
One and two were scared to death
Of the big bad wolf's breath
By the hair of your chinny chin I'll blow you in
And the twig house answered yes
No one left but number three
To save that piglet family
So when they knocked, he fast unlocked
And said come in with me
Now they all were safe inside
But the bricks hurt wolf's pride
So, he slid down the chimney and oh, by Jiminey
In a fire he was fried
Oh, oh, oh, the three little free little pigs
Just winked and laughed, ah, woo
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
The big bad wolf, the big bad wolf
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf
Tra la la la la
Tra la la, tra la la
Tra la la la la la la la la la la
Who's afraid of the big, big, big
Bad wolf
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Lyrics as written by Frank Churchill Ann Ronell
Lyrics © BOURNE CO.
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
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
I think this one means stop all your worrying and have a chuckle.