"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.
Clean, the cleanest I've been
An end to the tears and the in-between years
And the troubles I've seen
Now that I'm clean, you know what I mean
I've broken my fall, put an end to it all
I've changed my routine now I'm clean
I don't understand what destiny's planned
I'm starting to grasp what is in my own hands
I don't claim to know where my holiness goes
I just know that I like what is starting to show
(Sometimes)
Clean, the cleanest I've been
An end to the tears and the in-between years
And the troubles I've seen
Now that I'm clean, you know what I mean
I've broken my fall, put an end to it all
I've changed my routine now I'm clean
As years go by all the feelings inside
Twist and they turn as they ride with the tide
I don't advise and I don't criticize
I just know what I like with my own eyes
(Sometimes)
Clean, the cleanest I've been
An end to the tears and the in-between years
And the troubles I've seen
Now that I'm clean
Sometimes
You know what I mean
I've broken my fall, put an end to it all
I've changed my routine now I'm clean
Sometimes
Now I'm clean (the cleanest I've been)
The cleanest I've been
An end to the tears and the in-between years
And the troubles I've seen
Now that I'm clean, you know what I mean
I've broken my fall, put an end to it all
I've changed my routine now I'm clean
I don't understand what destiny's planned
I'm starting to grasp what is in my own hands
I don't claim to know where my holiness goes
I just know that I like what is starting to show
(Sometimes)
Clean, the cleanest I've been
An end to the tears and the in-between years
And the troubles I've seen
Now that I'm clean, you know what I mean
I've broken my fall, put an end to it all
I've changed my routine now I'm clean
As years go by all the feelings inside
Twist and they turn as they ride with the tide
I don't advise and I don't criticize
I just know what I like with my own eyes
(Sometimes)
Clean, the cleanest I've been
An end to the tears and the in-between years
And the troubles I've seen
Now that I'm clean
Sometimes
You know what I mean
I've broken my fall, put an end to it all
I've changed my routine now I'm clean
Sometimes
Now I'm clean (the cleanest I've been)
The cleanest I've been
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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At my humble opinion Martin is talking about someone who has finally taken over his own life, which has been controlled by his extreme rigor upon himself until today ("I don't claim to know / Where my holiness goes / I just know that I like / What is starting to show"). He's telling to himself he'll be who really is from now on and not the character he has played in his life while he has also stopped to give excessive importance to the other people's opinions (All the feelings inside / Twist and they turn / As they ride with the tide / I don't advise / And I don't criticise / I just know what I like / With my own eyes). Therefore the sensation of cleaness that he's talking about it's caused by this new taste of freedom. However all of this is still unsteady on his mind and that's the reason why a dark voice sings "Sometimes" along the lyrics...
I think this is the rightest interpretation. It's about being yourself, transparent, clear, and not conformist. Being yourself is the best way to resolve every problem and to take right decisions. <br /> <br /> The cleanest I've been<br /> An end to the tears<br /> And the in-between years<br /> And the troubles I've seen<br /> <br /> Now that I'm clean<br /> You know what I mean<br /> I've broken my fall<br /> Put an end to it all<br /> I've changed my routine<br /> Now I'm clean<br /> <br />
I love how almost every comment on songmeanings makes every song look to be about drugs and/or a failed relationship. They may be the most cliched things in the world to write a song about, but that doesn't mean that every song is about them.
It's a good thing that people like circusjuggler are around to offset some of the idiocy, because this song is clearly not about drugs or some girl/boy, despite the title.
@jadius only this time it is about Dave his drug addiction past! "You know what I mean..."
its clearly spiritual, destiny is a choice, so are drugs and relationships, breaking the fall is pretty straight forward but as they say, if you have to ask, you will never know...try listening more, you might just hear the answer for yourself
This song sexy
I don't think it's about drugs at all. It's more than likely about the end of a relationship, or figuring out what he wants out of love, relationships, etc. It's a great song and a fitting end to a great album.
I think it could be about drugs but more like "feelings are becoming true".You know, your soul becomes an adult. You stop to being an emotion silly. and, yes, so sexy. voices, music, everything is perfect. :)
Has anyone noticed the dark whisper scream at about 3:38 into this song?????? what is he saying?
@ShadowMan the cleanest I've been!
^It's just "the cleanest I've been"
its clearly spiritual, destiny is a choice, so are drugs and relationships, breaking the fall is pretty straight forward but as they say, if you have to ask, you will never know...try listening more, you might just hear the answer for yourself
For all the songs Depeche Mode has that doubt faith or religion in general, I like to think this song is honestly about repenting of your sins. Putting a bad lifestyle behind you, being forgiven, and moving on. He says he's breaken his fall, as in he's stopped his descent into hell. It's a pretty good feeling, and I believe the song captures it pretty well.