"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.
(Oh) yeah (yeah, yeah)
You know, if I had a chance to do it all over again (oh, oh)
I wouldn't change shit (oh, oh)
(DA got that dope)
I'm screamin' out, "No regrets"
You been through the hardest spot, ego the largest
I made you a star (I'm screamin' out, "No regrets")
I been movin' slowly, tryna play it low
The 'Vette look like a storm (screamin' out, "No regrets")
Put you through dumb shit, got you thinkin' I run shit (I ain't havin' regrets)
I've been feeling so alone, just like I'm so lost, just like I'm
Yeah, they miss the old me
I think they want me to OD on codeine
They want my life in turmoil like in '03
They want front row seats, I give 'em nosebleeds
They want me imploding, exploding, self-loathing, eroding
I'm screaming at 'em with no regrets and I'm hulking
I'm rippin' out of my clothing
I had to go see the doc like Kool Moe Dee (yeah)
Never took much to convince Dre
Never been swayed by color or skin shades
Since day one, Hellraiser with twin blades of a sensei
Givin' up, no comprende (woo)
Tin brain, probably fucked in the membrane
Slim Shade, minds in the gutter, but insane
Pen game like I just struck in the tenth frame
(Screamin' out, "No regrets")
Yeah, I live on the edge, I sit on the ledge
To shit on your heads, I been on the bench
Forgive and forget is the only thing I'd ever live to regret
Hell bent on revenge, you left me for dead
I crawled out my grave, you better be ready and set
My enemies ain't put an end to me yet
(I'm screamin' out, "No regrets")
You been through the hardest spot, ego the largest
I made you a star (I'm screamin' out, "No regrets")
I been movin' slowly, tryna play it low
The 'Vette look like a storm
(Screamin' out, "No regrets")
Yeah, no apologies, I ain't takin' shit back
Put you through dumb shit, got you thinkin' I run shit (I ain't havin' regrets)
I've been feeling so alone, just like I'm so lost
Yeah
All the hate, can't tell exactly where it stems from
But it's happening again, huh?
Y'all used to be in my corner
Now you just backed me in one
Innocent bystanders, I'm bound to hit some
For some adversaries, I carry big guns
So some targets'll get the killshot
Some, I just barely nicked 'em
I can make a mistake and erupt and end up takin' a dump
Or sayin' some dumb shit, thinkin' I run shit
Misplacin' my anger enough to give Earl and Tyler, The Creator the brunt
Should've never made a response to the disdain for the fake ones
Them traitorous punks, 'cause snakes are just cunts
They can get fucked with eight hundred motherfuckin' vibrators at once (yeah)
And for any of those who may have come close to about dyin'
And can't listen to "Arose" without cryin'
For those who feel low like you're 'bout spiralin'
But this is only for those that I'm inspirin'
Weapon never unholstered without firin'
My will I'm imposin', foes are gonna feel like they're in the throes of a mountain lion
They talk about my daughters hopin' I fly off of the handle
'Cause my first thought is to trample and write a thousand bars
But sometimes it's like dropping' an anvil on a house of cards
Or Godzilla squashin' a crouton with combat boots on
Or droppin' a goddamn nuke bomb on top of an ant hill
(I'm screamin' out, "No regrets") Can't do it, nah
You been through the hardest spot, ego the largest
I made you a star (I'm screamin' out, "No regrets")
I been movin' slowly, tryna play it low
The 'Vette look like a storm (screamin' out, "No regrets")
No regrets though, no white flags either
Put you through dumb shit, got you thinkin' I run shit (I ain't havin' regrets)
I've been feeling so alone, just like I'm so lost, just like I'm
You know, if I had a chance to do it all over again (oh, oh)
I wouldn't change shit (oh, oh)
(DA got that dope)
I'm screamin' out, "No regrets"
You been through the hardest spot, ego the largest
I made you a star (I'm screamin' out, "No regrets")
I been movin' slowly, tryna play it low
The 'Vette look like a storm (screamin' out, "No regrets")
Put you through dumb shit, got you thinkin' I run shit (I ain't havin' regrets)
I've been feeling so alone, just like I'm so lost, just like I'm
Yeah, they miss the old me
I think they want me to OD on codeine
They want my life in turmoil like in '03
They want front row seats, I give 'em nosebleeds
They want me imploding, exploding, self-loathing, eroding
I'm screaming at 'em with no regrets and I'm hulking
I'm rippin' out of my clothing
I had to go see the doc like Kool Moe Dee (yeah)
Never took much to convince Dre
Never been swayed by color or skin shades
Since day one, Hellraiser with twin blades of a sensei
Givin' up, no comprende (woo)
Tin brain, probably fucked in the membrane
Slim Shade, minds in the gutter, but insane
Pen game like I just struck in the tenth frame
(Screamin' out, "No regrets")
Yeah, I live on the edge, I sit on the ledge
To shit on your heads, I been on the bench
Forgive and forget is the only thing I'd ever live to regret
Hell bent on revenge, you left me for dead
I crawled out my grave, you better be ready and set
My enemies ain't put an end to me yet
(I'm screamin' out, "No regrets")
You been through the hardest spot, ego the largest
I made you a star (I'm screamin' out, "No regrets")
I been movin' slowly, tryna play it low
The 'Vette look like a storm
(Screamin' out, "No regrets")
Yeah, no apologies, I ain't takin' shit back
Put you through dumb shit, got you thinkin' I run shit (I ain't havin' regrets)
I've been feeling so alone, just like I'm so lost
Yeah
All the hate, can't tell exactly where it stems from
But it's happening again, huh?
Y'all used to be in my corner
Now you just backed me in one
Innocent bystanders, I'm bound to hit some
For some adversaries, I carry big guns
So some targets'll get the killshot
Some, I just barely nicked 'em
I can make a mistake and erupt and end up takin' a dump
Or sayin' some dumb shit, thinkin' I run shit
Misplacin' my anger enough to give Earl and Tyler, The Creator the brunt
Should've never made a response to the disdain for the fake ones
Them traitorous punks, 'cause snakes are just cunts
They can get fucked with eight hundred motherfuckin' vibrators at once (yeah)
And for any of those who may have come close to about dyin'
And can't listen to "Arose" without cryin'
For those who feel low like you're 'bout spiralin'
But this is only for those that I'm inspirin'
Weapon never unholstered without firin'
My will I'm imposin', foes are gonna feel like they're in the throes of a mountain lion
They talk about my daughters hopin' I fly off of the handle
'Cause my first thought is to trample and write a thousand bars
But sometimes it's like dropping' an anvil on a house of cards
Or Godzilla squashin' a crouton with combat boots on
Or droppin' a goddamn nuke bomb on top of an ant hill
(I'm screamin' out, "No regrets") Can't do it, nah
You been through the hardest spot, ego the largest
I made you a star (I'm screamin' out, "No regrets")
I been movin' slowly, tryna play it low
The 'Vette look like a storm (screamin' out, "No regrets")
No regrets though, no white flags either
Put you through dumb shit, got you thinkin' I run shit (I ain't havin' regrets)
I've been feeling so alone, just like I'm so lost, just like I'm
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
No Regrets Lyrics as written by David L. Doman Justin Brian Thomas
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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.
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.
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.