"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.
your eyes like crashing jets fixed in stained glass but not religious you should pay rent in my mind say like the french say bon soir regret a demain do you like me i guess white witness moves to petition the state of virginia for 27 prisons while in bethesda an office flaming youth group singing firemen calling in lockheed lockheed martin marietta do you like me i guess end of the lesson time for one question end of the lesson time for one more question do you like me
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
it's about what you want it to be about. but while it's about on the surface some obsession or romance it is also, in parallel a mocking of the romance that is a merger between two companies that manufacture arms/profit from warfare. Their love made Lockheed Martin. They make warplanes among other things.
fugazi is the best. 'you should pay rent in my mind.' pure genius.
agreed<br />
I think 'bon soir regret a demain' means 'goodnight, sorry good morning' or something...
I read an interview with Guy where he said that the lyrics are basically two different ideas. The first verse is a love song, the second is a rant about Lockheed Martin's monopoly on arms manufacturing....there is no strict cnnection between the two and should be read separately as far as I can make out.
Great song though, in fact I'd say its probably (just) my favourite fugazi song, love the way it builds up!
@rich79 hey bud, think 'bon soir regret a demain' translats closer to 'Good evening regret to tomorrow' although haven't really spoken French since I was a toddler so duly served with a pinch of salt.
@rich79 hey bud, think 'bon soir regret a demain' translats closer to 'Good evening regret to tomorrow' although haven't really spoken French since I was a toddler so duly served with a pinch of salt.<br /> <br /> Actually I think 'haiwan' s translation was much closer.
Around the time Red Medicine was recorded, Lockheed and Martin Marietta began negotiating a merger, which was completed in 1995. Bethesda is where the Lockheed Martin headquarters are located.
I always took the line "bon soir regret, a demain" to mean "good night regret, until tomorrow," as to describe a feeling of no regret until the morning after
Given the last few posts above this is my interpretation of the song:
Part 1 documents a typical "crush" situatiion. the french bit means "good evening regret, i'll see you tomorrow" meaning we live with our regrets.
The second part juxtaposes a popular media event (white witness moves to petition the state of virginia for 27 prisons*) with something that may not be as popular but have greater ramifications(ie the merger of lockheed & Martin Marietta)
The final portion seems to link the two previous thoughts in saying; when we dont have much time we may focus on the popular/trivial issue (Ie the things that make 'you' like me) and ignore the things that have greater ramifications and will be regretted in the future (Ie the merger of two companies that ill go on to create war machines).
i don't know just an idea.
*A google search makes me think this relates to the allen proposal to abolish parole rather than deal with crime in a proactive way. See: encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-905263.html & litigation-essentials.lexisnexis.com/webcd/app)
"bonsoir" means "good evening", "regret" is symply "regret", and "a demain" means "see you tommorow", but the three words together don't mean anything (you can trust me I'm french)
awesome song awesome lyrics
What does "bon soir regret a demain" mean?
"bon soir" means 'goodbye' or 'good evening' or something.
he's obsessed with a girl in his class..thinks about her all the time 'you should pay rent in my mind' all he wants to do is figure out if the rumours and eye contact actually mean something (does she like him!?) the thought of her liking him is on his mind constantly and all he wants to do is talk to her and ask her ...he always regrets it the next day when he chickens out and leaves the lesson without stopping to talk to her 'bon soir regret a demain '(something like 'good night,ill regret it tommorow!?)
now im completely stuck on what the middle bit means
but the last bit..is him screaming in his head 'DO YOU LIKE ME?!?!'..but not having enough courage to just ask her/approach her