"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 get my money in American ways
Cause I'm all American
I get my way because I talk a big game
Eat me, I'm American
She wants her money quick, in physical ways
Cause she's all American
I think her talk is cheap until she gets paid
Kiss me, I'm American
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
I won't be somebody's hero
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
We're all American zeroes
I'm your zero
I got nothing, but I love you
Isn't that enough to fill you up?
She goes to parties for a drug that is new
Cause she's all American
She's barely breathing in her red white and blue
Classically American
I need a miracle to change up my mood
Cause I'm all American
I'm scared of pills and guns and cheap fast food
Kill me, I'm American
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
I won't be somebody's hero
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
We're all American zeroes
I'm your zero
I got nothing, but I love you
Isn't that enough to fill you up?
Gimme something to believe in
Do you have a reason
Why you never look me in the eye?
Gimme something to believe in
My body's losin' feelin'
My body's losin' feelin'
My body's losin' feelin'
I won't be somebody's hero
We're all American, all American zeroes
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
I won't be somebody's hero
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
We're all American zeroes
I'm your zero
I got nothing, but I love you
Isn't that enough to fill you up?
Cause I'm all American
I get my way because I talk a big game
Eat me, I'm American
She wants her money quick, in physical ways
Cause she's all American
I think her talk is cheap until she gets paid
Kiss me, I'm American
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
I won't be somebody's hero
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
We're all American zeroes
I'm your zero
I got nothing, but I love you
Isn't that enough to fill you up?
She goes to parties for a drug that is new
Cause she's all American
She's barely breathing in her red white and blue
Classically American
I need a miracle to change up my mood
Cause I'm all American
I'm scared of pills and guns and cheap fast food
Kill me, I'm American
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
I won't be somebody's hero
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
We're all American zeroes
I'm your zero
I got nothing, but I love you
Isn't that enough to fill you up?
Gimme something to believe in
Do you have a reason
Why you never look me in the eye?
Gimme something to believe in
My body's losin' feelin'
My body's losin' feelin'
My body's losin' feelin'
I won't be somebody's hero
We're all American, all American zeroes
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
I won't be somebody's hero
Don't count me out
Don't you count me out
We're all American zeroes
I'm your zero
I got nothing, but I love you
Isn't that enough to fill you up?
Lyrics submitted by CabbotCalls
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
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.
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.