"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.
Made a home in a basement
Didn't think that I'd need the light
Cause all these plans I've been making
Get me out of here in time
But it's always two steps backwards
Too much gravity to feel the highs
And all these plans I've been chasing
Getting caught up and wasted
I don't know where the money goes
I get broke as the city glows
Shines bright as I sink down low
Down low
But I've got plans to get to you
You know, don't you know
Gonna build a paper plane to float to you
You know, don't you know
We'll be scraping the skies with out fingertips
Screaming "This is the life, we were born for this"
See I've got plans to get to you
You know, don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
I've got a hope in the headlights
Stood still but I'm feeling fine
Cause all these plans I've been making
Will get me out of here in time
But it's always two steps backwards
Too much gravity to feel the highs
And all these plans I've been chasing
Getting caught up and wasted
I don't know where the money goes
I get broke as the city glows
Shines bright as I sink down low
Down low
But I've got plans to get to you
You know, don't you know
Gonna build a paper plane to float to you
You know, don't you know
We'll be scraping the skies with out fingertips
Screaming "This is the life, we were born for this"
See I've got plans to get to you
You know, don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Didn't think that I'd need the light
Cause all these plans I've been making
Get me out of here in time
But it's always two steps backwards
Too much gravity to feel the highs
And all these plans I've been chasing
Getting caught up and wasted
I don't know where the money goes
I get broke as the city glows
Shines bright as I sink down low
Down low
But I've got plans to get to you
You know, don't you know
Gonna build a paper plane to float to you
You know, don't you know
We'll be scraping the skies with out fingertips
Screaming "This is the life, we were born for this"
See I've got plans to get to you
You know, don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
I've got a hope in the headlights
Stood still but I'm feeling fine
Cause all these plans I've been making
Will get me out of here in time
But it's always two steps backwards
Too much gravity to feel the highs
And all these plans I've been chasing
Getting caught up and wasted
I don't know where the money goes
I get broke as the city glows
Shines bright as I sink down low
Down low
But I've got plans to get to you
You know, don't you know
Gonna build a paper plane to float to you
You know, don't you know
We'll be scraping the skies with out fingertips
Screaming "This is the life, we were born for this"
See I've got plans to get to you
You know, don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
You know, you know, you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
Don't you know
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
from the band: We both live in London, and are used to the majority of our friends living in dingy, basement flats with no natural light and paying through the nose for the privilege. "Plans" tells a little story of someone who lives in a basement flat, but has plans to get out, build a paper plane where they'll be "scraping the skies with our fingertips, screaming "'this is the life, we were born for this!'" It's about believing in yourself no matter what, and understanding that everything is transient, and everything will pass. You just gotta dream big and have faith.
thelineofbestfit.com/features/track-by-track/track-by-track-oh-wonder-on-oh-wonder