"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.
I put that record on
Girl, you know what song
And I let it play again and again
You're in every line
Takes me back in time
Yeah, tonight I'm wondering
What are you listening to?
Is it a cover band in some college town bar?
Where it's na-na-na's and air guitars
Or is it something to get you through?
Just a sad song playing on the radio station
Tears still fallin' and hearts still breakin'
'Cause you're hanging on
Or is it a love song about someone new?
What are you listening to?
I like to believe
That you're just like me
Trying to figure out how a good thing goes bad
I don't know
I can't let it go
Yeah, it's about to drive me mad
What are you listening to?
Is it a cover band in some college town bar?
Where it's na-na-na's and air guitars
And is it something to get you through?
Just a sad song playing on the radio station
Tears still fallin' and hearts still breakin'
'Cause you're hanging on
Or is it a love song about someone new?
What are you listening to?
Is it a feelgood song gets you driving too fast?
The one that gets you moving on past the past
Or the kind that you can't help singing along
Singing, whoa
Is it headphones on on a downtown train?
Or a window seat on an outbound plane?
Is it LA sunny and Memphis blue?
I wish I knew, I wish I knew
What are you listening to?
Is it a cover band in some college town bar?
Where it's na-na-na's and air guitars
And is it something to get you through?
Just a sad song playing on the radio station
Tears still fallin' and hearts still breakin'
'Cause you're hanging on
Or is it a love song about someone new?
What are you listening to?
I put that record on, girl, you know what song
And I let it play again and again
Girl, you know what song
And I let it play again and again
You're in every line
Takes me back in time
Yeah, tonight I'm wondering
What are you listening to?
Is it a cover band in some college town bar?
Where it's na-na-na's and air guitars
Or is it something to get you through?
Just a sad song playing on the radio station
Tears still fallin' and hearts still breakin'
'Cause you're hanging on
Or is it a love song about someone new?
What are you listening to?
I like to believe
That you're just like me
Trying to figure out how a good thing goes bad
I don't know
I can't let it go
Yeah, it's about to drive me mad
What are you listening to?
Is it a cover band in some college town bar?
Where it's na-na-na's and air guitars
And is it something to get you through?
Just a sad song playing on the radio station
Tears still fallin' and hearts still breakin'
'Cause you're hanging on
Or is it a love song about someone new?
What are you listening to?
Is it a feelgood song gets you driving too fast?
The one that gets you moving on past the past
Or the kind that you can't help singing along
Singing, whoa
Is it headphones on on a downtown train?
Or a window seat on an outbound plane?
Is it LA sunny and Memphis blue?
I wish I knew, I wish I knew
What are you listening to?
Is it a cover band in some college town bar?
Where it's na-na-na's and air guitars
And is it something to get you through?
Just a sad song playing on the radio station
Tears still fallin' and hearts still breakin'
'Cause you're hanging on
Or is it a love song about someone new?
What are you listening to?
I put that record on, girl, you know what song
And I let it play again and again
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
What Are You Listening To? Lyrics as written by Lee Thomas Miller Christopher Stapleton
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Such a great tune. The song starts where the guy puts on a record and listens to a song that he and his old girlfriend used to listen to together. That he listens to it on repeat is the first indicator that he's not over this girl. He hasn't been able to let his feelings for her go. It also lets the listener know that listening to music together was an aspect of their relationship. And it implies that the meaning of the song they listened to described their relationship.
But they're no longer together and so he's wondering what song(s) she's listening to now. He doesn't know where she lives or what she's doing these days but he knows, or at least believes, that whatever song(s) she's listening to would give him an indication of where she's at emotionally. And he wishes he knew.
The sentiment in this song is somewhat similar to Bob Dylan's "Girl From The North Country" where Dylan is pining for his old girlfriend whom he's not seen for many years and is wondering if she still remembers him, if she still looks the same.