"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.
Do you remember the hype
That surrounded Haley's?
Well, that's the same hype
That surrounded you
I bought a shirt to commemorate the celebratory atmosphere
After all, I had never witnessed such a phenomenon before you
That shirt doesn't fit anymore
But, now I have you to adore
From so very far away
Do you remember the magnitude
Of the collision
Between Jupiter
And Shoemaker-Levy 9?
Well, that's the same magnitude
As my collision with you
I sat and watched as scientists tried to predict the outcome
After all, nothing like this had ever been witnessed in our solar system
But the collision
Didn't have much effect
Jupiter absorbed it and moved on
As if unchanged
But that's not what happened
When you crashed into me
For unlike Jupiter, my orbit has been changed
And do you remember the hype
That surrounded Haley's?
Now, that's the same hype
That surrounded you
Haley's comet comes back into view
In the year 2062
When I look up into the sky
I will think of you
That surrounded Haley's?
Well, that's the same hype
That surrounded you
I bought a shirt to commemorate the celebratory atmosphere
After all, I had never witnessed such a phenomenon before you
That shirt doesn't fit anymore
But, now I have you to adore
From so very far away
Do you remember the magnitude
Of the collision
Between Jupiter
And Shoemaker-Levy 9?
Well, that's the same magnitude
As my collision with you
I sat and watched as scientists tried to predict the outcome
After all, nothing like this had ever been witnessed in our solar system
But the collision
Didn't have much effect
Jupiter absorbed it and moved on
As if unchanged
But that's not what happened
When you crashed into me
For unlike Jupiter, my orbit has been changed
And do you remember the hype
That surrounded Haley's?
Now, that's the same hype
That surrounded you
Haley's comet comes back into view
In the year 2062
When I look up into the sky
I will think of you
Lyrics submitted by coraB
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
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
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.