"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.
First write down all of your fears
Then sweep the feathers you've preened
Next you should dominate
All the quests everyone said were too hard
And last you go back to sleep
Don't back out
Or we'll back down
I want you to know
If you feel ready to go
I can read the rest to myself
Hell is digital
You've smashed to smithereens
We've filled out all of the forms
Translated all of our dreams
Free love and perfected every inch
Weeknights down at the gym
Took every thing that we pleased
Don't crack up
Don't lose touch
I want you to know
If you feel ready to go
I can read the rest to myself
Hell is digital
You'll pray to pieces
I'll break and create life
Oh praise player one
Infinite lives, the time will come up
Did we build Babel together
Jibber jabber, changing colors
Aliens talking to airplanes
Every time the place is the same
Hope we can do this forever
Don't black out
Or we'll back down
I want you to know
If you feel ready to go
I can read the rest to myself
Hell is digital
I'm burnt to little bits
I'm psycho
Can you know this?
I have to go
I want to say I'm in love with you
And I'm more than the skin of my teeth
I digress
I am a mess, I'm in love with you
I will go without water or sleep
I'm a ghost
I can't say I know that I'm even here
Or is this some eternal test
Hold me close
I'll never know if it's more or less
No reset
Then sweep the feathers you've preened
Next you should dominate
All the quests everyone said were too hard
And last you go back to sleep
Don't back out
Or we'll back down
I want you to know
If you feel ready to go
I can read the rest to myself
Hell is digital
You've smashed to smithereens
We've filled out all of the forms
Translated all of our dreams
Free love and perfected every inch
Weeknights down at the gym
Took every thing that we pleased
Don't crack up
Don't lose touch
I want you to know
If you feel ready to go
I can read the rest to myself
Hell is digital
You'll pray to pieces
I'll break and create life
Oh praise player one
Infinite lives, the time will come up
Did we build Babel together
Jibber jabber, changing colors
Aliens talking to airplanes
Every time the place is the same
Hope we can do this forever
Don't black out
Or we'll back down
I want you to know
If you feel ready to go
I can read the rest to myself
Hell is digital
I'm burnt to little bits
I'm psycho
Can you know this?
I have to go
I want to say I'm in love with you
And I'm more than the skin of my teeth
I digress
I am a mess, I'm in love with you
I will go without water or sleep
I'm a ghost
I can't say I know that I'm even here
Or is this some eternal test
Hold me close
I'll never know if it's more or less
No reset
Lyrics submitted by uNo2BLACK, edited by foundthevelvetsun7
Out of Mana Lyrics as written by Vincent Accardi Jesse Thomas Lacey
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Out of Mana means out of "power," often in a supernatural sense. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mana
I think this song is what this whole album is about. Its about gaining control of your life. And the warning, the instruction, the inspiration, not to lose control once you have it.
Verse 1: Get control of your life. Acknowledge and confront your fears and flaws. Do things in your life that people say you can't. But don't go to "sleep," be awake, be aware, be YOU.
Chorus: Don't run out of power, And I can take care of myself, I don't need you (music, fame?). I have control, I can take it from here.
Verse 2: I'm not sure, but I think Lacey is saying, we did what you wanted, we translated our dreams and ambitions and thoughts into song for you, perfected them. Free love, reaping the benefits (i.e. girls on tour)? Weeknights at the gym though? not sure.
Chorus 2: A good bit is the same but an equally good portion is inaudible or thus far not properly posted above.
Anyway just my preliminary thoughts and by no means definitive. Good song, top 3 on the album.
The end of this song is what my soul was looking for. The struggling with not feeling good enough and wanting to give someone your all and still feeling that it’s not enough. I love brand new’s ability to put emotion like that into words so eloquently.
Out of Mana means out of "power," often in a supernatural sense. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mana
I think this song is what this whole album is about. Its about gaining control of your life. And the warning, the instruction, the inspiration, not to lose control once you have it.
Verse 1: Get control of your life. Acknowledge and confront your fears and flaws. Do things in your life that people say you can't. But don't go to "sleep," be awake, be aware, be YOU.
Chorus: Don't run out of power, And I can take care of myself, I don't need you (music, fame?). I have control, I can take it from here.
Verse 2: I'm not sure, but I think Lacey is saying, we did what you wanted, we translated our dreams and ambitions and thoughts into song for you, perfected them. Free love, reaping the benefits (i.e. girls on tour)? Weeknights at the gym though? not sure.
Chorus 2: A good bit is the same but an equally good portion is inaudible or thus far not properly posted above.
Anyway just my preliminary thoughts and by no means definitive. Good song, top 3 on the album.
The overall composition of the song tied in with the lyrics has made me start to view this as sort of a digital versus analog commentary. Or better put, virtual versus visceral. The first portion of the song is heavy in digital effects, even on the vocals. The lyrical themes center around video games, infinite lives, and the cultivation of perfect bodies (a perfect shell, lacking inner development). There is plenty of academic research showing that while the digital world has people talking more than ever, we are all feeling increasingly isolated. We "built Babel together" because everyone is speaking, but no one is understanding each other. "Hell is digital" because it is hallow, empty. If you have infinite lives, it doesn't matter what you do. No experience carries any meaning. No failure is crushing. No success is sweet. You can do it all again tomorrow anyway.
This is contrasted by the rough, lo-fi acoustic outro that is accompanied by visceral/body-focused lyrics (skin of my teeth, go without water or sleep). He's back in the real world but is feeling so disillusioned that he's not sure he's even here. Yet, he recognizes that this is real. What happens here is final. You've only got one chance. Death will come. "No reset."
To me it sounds like he's saying "all praise player 1, infinite lives in the time of karma"