"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.
Doc and Sally inside
They're cooking for the down five
Who's staring at Miss Rayon
Who's busy licking up her pig pen
I'm searching for my mainline
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
Oh, just like Sister Ray said
Whip it on
Rosie and Miss Rayon
They're busy waiting for her booster
Who just got back from Carolina
She said she didn't like the weather
They're busy waiting for her sailor
Who's big and dressed in pink and leather
He's just here from Alabama
He wants to know a way to earn a dollar
I'm searching for my mainer
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
I couldn't hit it sideways
Oh, just like Sister Ray said
Play it on
Cecil's got his new piece
He cocks and shoots it between three and four
He aims it at the sailor
Shoots him down dead on the floor
Oh, you shouldn't do that
Don't you know you'll stain the carpet?
Now don't you know you'll stain the carpet
And by the way, have you got a dollar?
Oh, no, man, I haven't got the time-time
Too busy sucking on a ding-dong
She's busy sucking on my ding-dong
Oh, she does just like Sister Ray said
I'm searching for my mainline
I said I c-c-c-ouldn't hit it sideways
I c-c-c-c-c-c-couldn't hit it sideways
Oh do it, do it, oh just, just, just do it, bless Sister Ray sir, go on!
Oh
Now, who is that knocking?
Who's knocking at my chamber door?
Now could it be the police?
They come and take me for a ride-ride
Oh, but I haven't got the time-time
Hey, hey, hey, she's busy sucking on my ding-dong
She's busy sucking on my ding-dong
Oh, now, do it just like Sister Ray said
I'm searching for my mainline
I couldn't hit it sideways
I couldn't hit it sideways
Oh, now, just like
Oh, just like
Oh, just like
Oh, just like
Oh, just like
Oh, just like
Doc and sally inside, now move it along!
Cooking for the down five
Who's staring at Miss Rayon, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it!
licking up pig pen
I've been s-s-s-s-searching for my mainline
I couldn't hit it sideways
I couldn't hit it sideways
Just like
Oh, just like, do it, do it, do it!
Just like
Just like that
Just like
Now Rosie and Miss Rayon
They're busy waiting for her booster
She's just back from Carolina
She says she's bound to meet a sailor
I said you haven't got the time-time
You're busy sucking on my ding-dong
You're busy sucking on my ding-dong
Now, just like Sister Ray said
I'm searching for my mainline
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
Whip it on me Jim, whip it on me Jim
Whip it on me Jim, whip it on me Jim
Said I couldn't hit it sideways, oh, do it!
Yeah, just like, yeah just like Sister Ray said
I said now Cecil's got his new piece
He cocks and shoots it, bang! between three and four
He aims it at the sailor
He shoots him down dead on the floor
Oh, you shouldn't do that, don't you know you'll hit the carper, don't you know you'll mess the carpet
Oh, she hasn't got the time-time
Busy sucking on his ding-dong
She's busy sucking on his ding-dong
Yeah, just like Sister Ray said
I'm searching for my mainline
Couldn't hit it sideways
Couldn't hit it sideways
Now just like
Now just like
Now just like, like Sister Ray said, now do it to him!
Doc and Sally inside
They're busy cooking for the down five, oh
Who's staring at Miss Rayon
Busy licking up her pig pen
I'm busy searching for my mainline
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
Now just like
Now just like
I said oh, oh, just like
Am-ph-ph-ph-ph-phetamine
They're cooking for the down five
Who's staring at Miss Rayon
Who's busy licking up her pig pen
I'm searching for my mainline
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
Oh, just like Sister Ray said
Whip it on
Rosie and Miss Rayon
They're busy waiting for her booster
Who just got back from Carolina
She said she didn't like the weather
They're busy waiting for her sailor
Who's big and dressed in pink and leather
He's just here from Alabama
He wants to know a way to earn a dollar
I'm searching for my mainer
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
I couldn't hit it sideways
Oh, just like Sister Ray said
Play it on
Cecil's got his new piece
He cocks and shoots it between three and four
He aims it at the sailor
Shoots him down dead on the floor
Oh, you shouldn't do that
Don't you know you'll stain the carpet?
Now don't you know you'll stain the carpet
And by the way, have you got a dollar?
Oh, no, man, I haven't got the time-time
Too busy sucking on a ding-dong
She's busy sucking on my ding-dong
Oh, she does just like Sister Ray said
I'm searching for my mainline
I said I c-c-c-ouldn't hit it sideways
I c-c-c-c-c-c-couldn't hit it sideways
Oh do it, do it, oh just, just, just do it, bless Sister Ray sir, go on!
Oh
Now, who is that knocking?
Who's knocking at my chamber door?
Now could it be the police?
They come and take me for a ride-ride
Oh, but I haven't got the time-time
Hey, hey, hey, she's busy sucking on my ding-dong
She's busy sucking on my ding-dong
Oh, now, do it just like Sister Ray said
I'm searching for my mainline
I couldn't hit it sideways
I couldn't hit it sideways
Oh, now, just like
Oh, just like
Oh, just like
Oh, just like
Oh, just like
Oh, just like
Doc and sally inside, now move it along!
Cooking for the down five
Who's staring at Miss Rayon, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it!
licking up pig pen
I've been s-s-s-s-searching for my mainline
I couldn't hit it sideways
I couldn't hit it sideways
Just like
Oh, just like, do it, do it, do it!
Just like
Just like that
Just like
Now Rosie and Miss Rayon
They're busy waiting for her booster
She's just back from Carolina
She says she's bound to meet a sailor
I said you haven't got the time-time
You're busy sucking on my ding-dong
You're busy sucking on my ding-dong
Now, just like Sister Ray said
I'm searching for my mainline
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
Whip it on me Jim, whip it on me Jim
Whip it on me Jim, whip it on me Jim
Said I couldn't hit it sideways, oh, do it!
Yeah, just like, yeah just like Sister Ray said
I said now Cecil's got his new piece
He cocks and shoots it, bang! between three and four
He aims it at the sailor
He shoots him down dead on the floor
Oh, you shouldn't do that, don't you know you'll hit the carper, don't you know you'll mess the carpet
Oh, she hasn't got the time-time
Busy sucking on his ding-dong
She's busy sucking on his ding-dong
Yeah, just like Sister Ray said
I'm searching for my mainline
Couldn't hit it sideways
Couldn't hit it sideways
Now just like
Now just like
Now just like, like Sister Ray said, now do it to him!
Doc and Sally inside
They're busy cooking for the down five, oh
Who's staring at Miss Rayon
Busy licking up her pig pen
I'm busy searching for my mainline
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
I said I couldn't hit it sideways
Now just like
Now just like
I said oh, oh, just like
Am-ph-ph-ph-ph-phetamine
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
Lou Reed might as well be singing the phone book - I think that the music is really the focal point. I read a LR interview where he described the recording session and how he, Sterl, and John had this one-up thing going on with volume. Rumor has it that the Jefferson Airplane (recording next door) got real bummed out by the end. Nice work, I say :-)
Of course it's about the music, but considering Lou is one of rock's best lyricists, and these are some of his best images, I think if you tried listening closely and seeing the scene sets, you'd have to agree the lyrics are far from throwaway.