"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.
And you know it's time to go
Through the sleet and driving snow
Across the fields of mourning
Light in the distance
And you hunger for the time
Time to heal, desire, time
And your earth moves beneath
Your own dream landscape
Oh, oh, oh
On borderland we run
I'll be there
I'll be there
Tonight
A high road
A high road out from here
The city walls are all come down
The dust, a smoke screen all around
See faces ploughed like fields that once
Gave no resistance
And we live by the side of the road
On the side of a hill
As the valley explode
Dislocated, suffocated
The land grows weary of its own
Oh come away, oh come away, oh come away, I say I
Oh come away, come away, oh come, oh come away, I say I
Oh, oh, oh
On borderland we run
And still we run
We run and don't look back
I'll be there
I'll be there
Tonight
Tonight
I'll be there tonight, I believe
I'll be there so high
I'll be there tonight, tonight
Oh come away, I say, I say oh
Oh come away, I say
The wind will crack in winter time
This bomb-blast lightning waltz
No spoken words, just a scream
Oh
Oh
Tonight we'll build a bridge
Across the sea and land
See the sky, the burning rain
She will die and live again
Tonight
And your heart beats so slow
Through the rain and fallen snow
Across the fields of mourning
Lights in the distance
Oh don't sorrow, no don't weep
For tonight, at last
I am coming home
I am coming home
Through the sleet and driving snow
Across the fields of mourning
Light in the distance
And you hunger for the time
Time to heal, desire, time
And your earth moves beneath
Your own dream landscape
Oh, oh, oh
On borderland we run
I'll be there
I'll be there
Tonight
A high road
A high road out from here
The city walls are all come down
The dust, a smoke screen all around
See faces ploughed like fields that once
Gave no resistance
And we live by the side of the road
On the side of a hill
As the valley explode
Dislocated, suffocated
The land grows weary of its own
Oh come away, oh come away, oh come away, I say I
Oh come away, come away, oh come, oh come away, I say I
Oh, oh, oh
On borderland we run
And still we run
We run and don't look back
I'll be there
I'll be there
Tonight
Tonight
I'll be there tonight, I believe
I'll be there so high
I'll be there tonight, tonight
Oh come away, I say, I say oh
Oh come away, I say
The wind will crack in winter time
This bomb-blast lightning waltz
No spoken words, just a scream
Oh
Oh
Tonight we'll build a bridge
Across the sea and land
See the sky, the burning rain
She will die and live again
Tonight
And your heart beats so slow
Through the rain and fallen snow
Across the fields of mourning
Lights in the distance
Oh don't sorrow, no don't weep
For tonight, at last
I am coming home
I am coming home
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira
A Sort of Homecoming Lyrics as written by Dave Evans Adam Clayton
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
This song came on the radio after Hurricane Katrina. I was driving to my nieghborhood to see if I still had a home. It was so odd for "A Sort of Homecoming" to come on the radio, but it was very weird for it to come on as I really was having my own homecoming. Even though my house is gone, this song is very important to me... I'll never forget that day I was driving home with this song playing, the ocean looking so calm, and that feeling of peace and acceptance come over me.
I love U2.