"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.
What can you buy
That lifts a heavy heart up to the sky?
What makes your day?
What miracle of life
Has come to stay?
A taste of love
So sweet, so real you can't let go
And how does it feel?
It feels so good
But how much do you need?
How much, how much do you need?
How much do you need?
How much, how much do you need?
I want a nice car
A girlfriend Who's as pretty as a star
I want respect
As much, as much as I can get
But how much do you need?
How much, how much do you need?
How much do you need?
How much, how much do you need?
Restless
I feel so restless
And in this changing world
I am lost for words
I feel so restless
Ain't got no interest
I couldn't care less
Can't be a success
Due to current studies
The fiscal climate isn't looking good
Get out of town
The streets are running rivers full of blood
The more I see
The less, the less that I believe
The more I hear
The less, the less that I perceive
Restless
I feel so restless
And in this changing world
I am lost for words
I feel so restless
Ain't got no interest
I couldn't care less
Can't be a success
What can you buy
That lifts a heavy heart up to the sky?
What makes your day?
What miracle of life
Has come to stay?
A taste of love
So sweet, so real you can't let go
And how does it feel?
It feels so good
Restless
I am so restless
And this changing world
Leaves me speechless
I am lost for words
But I kept my nerve
But it's not hopeless
If you take less
That lifts a heavy heart up to the sky?
What makes your day?
What miracle of life
Has come to stay?
A taste of love
So sweet, so real you can't let go
And how does it feel?
It feels so good
But how much do you need?
How much, how much do you need?
How much do you need?
How much, how much do you need?
I want a nice car
A girlfriend Who's as pretty as a star
I want respect
As much, as much as I can get
But how much do you need?
How much, how much do you need?
How much do you need?
How much, how much do you need?
Restless
I feel so restless
And in this changing world
I am lost for words
I feel so restless
Ain't got no interest
I couldn't care less
Can't be a success
Due to current studies
The fiscal climate isn't looking good
Get out of town
The streets are running rivers full of blood
The more I see
The less, the less that I believe
The more I hear
The less, the less that I perceive
Restless
I feel so restless
And in this changing world
I am lost for words
I feel so restless
Ain't got no interest
I couldn't care less
Can't be a success
What can you buy
That lifts a heavy heart up to the sky?
What makes your day?
What miracle of life
Has come to stay?
A taste of love
So sweet, so real you can't let go
And how does it feel?
It feels so good
Restless
I am so restless
And this changing world
Leaves me speechless
I am lost for words
But I kept my nerve
But it's not hopeless
If you take less
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Restless Lyrics as written by Gillian Lesley Gilbert Bernard Sumner
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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
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.
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,
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.
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.
It's about a bloke who is a bit of a fidget and no matter how well he does, he still fidgets.