"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.
Believe me now, you're too young girl
Cherry pie and your gold curls
Growin' up like a grapevine
Wrapped around you in due time
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Up, up away
Up, up away
Singing like it's a full moon (singing like it's a full moon)
Careless now that he has you (careless now that he has you)
Turns you on to the right songs (turns you on to the right songs)
Promises that you're hooked on (promises that you're hooked on)
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Up, up away
Up, up away
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Up, up away
Up, up away
Up, up away
Up, up away
Cherry pie and your gold curls
Growin' up like a grapevine
Wrapped around you in due time
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Up, up away
Up, up away
Singing like it's a full moon (singing like it's a full moon)
Careless now that he has you (careless now that he has you)
Turns you on to the right songs (turns you on to the right songs)
Promises that you're hooked on (promises that you're hooked on)
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Up, up away
Up, up away
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Sweet Ophelia!
When young blood escapes
Vows that break
Go up, up away
Up, up away
Up, up away
Up, up away
Up, up away
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I think it's about being a young girl & the loss of virginity, I think she clarified the meaning somewhere,
@iholdher I gathered that as well. I find that I am drawn to this song as much as I am to hypnotic
This song is about pedophilia and nothing else. That's why it's called "sweet ophelia", because they can't just go writing "pedophilia" into their lyrics, so they choose a perfect rhyme to substitute in its place. Investigate pedogate please and thank you.
@RawSpirit I disagree that it's pedophilia since Day is taking the perspective of trying to talk the girl out of having sex. I think Ophelia is young but not biologically too young for sex. I'm also picking up a tone like Day is saying she regrets her first time either for her age or the person involved or both.
Obviously about a girl losing her virginity, and it's so puritan that it's almost intentionally creepy. If the girl is too young, doesn't that make the boy too young also, assuming he's the same age? Yet he's portrayed here as manipulative and cunning, and her naive and careless. If she's younger than the boy, then the real problem here is statutory rape rather than the girl making choices too young. Also I think the chorus is about her bleeding after her first time, and about her breaking chastity before marriage vows. This song is a lot of icky. Too bad it's catchy.