"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.
Tell me you love me, but I've heard it before
Stayin' out til the mornin', I can hear the door
Tell me you're different, but you're just like the rest
I can smell all the whiskey and the smoke on your breath
I don't think you know this, but you're so predictable
Textin' her behind my back and actin' like I don't
But I already know, oh oh
Yeah, I already know this
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep, oh oh
And you've been messin' 'round on me
I thought I told you once before, ooh
I guess you wasn't listening
I'll wait till the morning, might just let you sleep in
Won't you give a warning, just know that I'm leavin'
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep, oh oh
And you've been messin' 'round on me (on me, on me, ooh)
You say that you want me, that you want me back
Wanna talk to me, it's over, no, I won't do that
Swear that you're different, but you're still like the rest
Don't wanna talk it over, no
I don't think you know this, but you're so predictable
Textin' her behind my back and actin' like I don't
But I already know (already know), oh oh
Yeah, I already know this (know this)
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep, oh oh
And you've been messin' 'round on me (on me, on me)
I thought I told you once before, oh
I guess you wasn't listening
I'll wait till the morning, might just let you sleep in
Won't you give a warning, just know that I'm leavin'
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep (in your sleep, in your sleep)
And you've been messin' 'round on me (on me, on me), ooh
I don't think you know this, but you're so predictable
Textin' girls behind my back and actin' like you don't
But I already know, oh oh
Yeah, I already know
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep (you've been talkin' in your sleep), oh oh
And you've been messin' 'round on me (and you've been messin' 'round on me)
I thought I told you once before (I thought I told you once before), oh
I guess you wasn't listening (I guess you wasn't listening)
I'll wait till the morning (I'll wait till the morning)
Might just let you sleep in (might just let you sleep in)
Won't you give a warning (won't you give a warning)
Just know that I'm leavin'
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep (your sleep, oh oh)
And you've been messin' 'round on me (on me, on me, ooh)
Stayin' out til the mornin', I can hear the door
Tell me you're different, but you're just like the rest
I can smell all the whiskey and the smoke on your breath
I don't think you know this, but you're so predictable
Textin' her behind my back and actin' like I don't
But I already know, oh oh
Yeah, I already know this
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep, oh oh
And you've been messin' 'round on me
I thought I told you once before, ooh
I guess you wasn't listening
I'll wait till the morning, might just let you sleep in
Won't you give a warning, just know that I'm leavin'
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep, oh oh
And you've been messin' 'round on me (on me, on me, ooh)
You say that you want me, that you want me back
Wanna talk to me, it's over, no, I won't do that
Swear that you're different, but you're still like the rest
Don't wanna talk it over, no
I don't think you know this, but you're so predictable
Textin' her behind my back and actin' like I don't
But I already know (already know), oh oh
Yeah, I already know this (know this)
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep, oh oh
And you've been messin' 'round on me (on me, on me)
I thought I told you once before, oh
I guess you wasn't listening
I'll wait till the morning, might just let you sleep in
Won't you give a warning, just know that I'm leavin'
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep (in your sleep, in your sleep)
And you've been messin' 'round on me (on me, on me), ooh
I don't think you know this, but you're so predictable
Textin' girls behind my back and actin' like you don't
But I already know, oh oh
Yeah, I already know
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep (you've been talkin' in your sleep), oh oh
And you've been messin' 'round on me (and you've been messin' 'round on me)
I thought I told you once before (I thought I told you once before), oh
I guess you wasn't listening (I guess you wasn't listening)
I'll wait till the morning (I'll wait till the morning)
Might just let you sleep in (might just let you sleep in)
Won't you give a warning (won't you give a warning)
Just know that I'm leavin'
'Cause you've been talkin' in your sleep (your sleep, oh oh)
And you've been messin' 'round on me (on me, on me, ooh)
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
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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,
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.