"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.
Headed out for Austin, now we're half way down the road
Hollering budda-budda-budda-budda-by
Steady staring out the window
It fells good, it fells nice, it feels like you need it
And back out on the road is where we like to be seated
We got half-pint style, we got a b-boy style
We got half-pint style, we got a b-boy style
We got to put that shit together in a creative style
We put that shit together in a creative style
Outside on the pavement I won't feel afraid
There's a little piece of paper saying how we walked that May
Back out on the highway, and this hurts to say
No one's got fingers, I got no one to blame
I can't make you overstand, rising up in a hip-hop stance
Society's got to me
That's all you need
Headed out to Houston, now we're halfway out the door
Hollering budda-budda-budda-budda-by
Staring out the window
It fells good, it feels nice, it feels like you need it
I know how females like to be treated
A license for me and the stars up above
And on the interstate I fell love, love, love
And If I never realize then that's how it has to be
And all DJs out there got to give me money
Back out on the freeway, I won't fell sane
Little yellow headlights look like snails smashed in the rain
Back out on the highway, and this hurts to say
Blown out speakers, I got no one to blame
I can't make you overstand, rising up in a hip-hop stance
Society's got to me
That's all you need, yeah, yeah
My way is your way, but I won't see
'Cause no one can tell you, you've got to be afraid
We got to go back on the highway, live behind the wheel
I want it real, I want it real
I want it real, real
Hollering budda-budda-budda-budda-by
Steady staring out the window
It fells good, it fells nice, it feels like you need it
And back out on the road is where we like to be seated
We got half-pint style, we got a b-boy style
We got half-pint style, we got a b-boy style
We got to put that shit together in a creative style
We put that shit together in a creative style
Outside on the pavement I won't feel afraid
There's a little piece of paper saying how we walked that May
Back out on the highway, and this hurts to say
No one's got fingers, I got no one to blame
I can't make you overstand, rising up in a hip-hop stance
Society's got to me
That's all you need
Headed out to Houston, now we're halfway out the door
Hollering budda-budda-budda-budda-by
Staring out the window
It fells good, it feels nice, it feels like you need it
I know how females like to be treated
A license for me and the stars up above
And on the interstate I fell love, love, love
And If I never realize then that's how it has to be
And all DJs out there got to give me money
Back out on the freeway, I won't fell sane
Little yellow headlights look like snails smashed in the rain
Back out on the highway, and this hurts to say
Blown out speakers, I got no one to blame
I can't make you overstand, rising up in a hip-hop stance
Society's got to me
That's all you need, yeah, yeah
My way is your way, but I won't see
'Cause no one can tell you, you've got to be afraid
We got to go back on the highway, live behind the wheel
I want it real, I want it real
I want it real, real
Lyrics submitted by The Big Andowski
All You Need Lyrics as written by Bradley James Nowell
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
These are the lyrics according to sublimespot.com
Headin' out for Austin now we're half way down the road Buddy bye, buddy bye, buddy buy, buddy buy Steady starin' out the window Feels good it feels nice it feels like you need it Back out on the road's where we like to be seated
We got Half-Pint style we got the U Roy style A Half-Pint style we got the U Roy style We gonna put that shit together wanna create a style Put that shit together wanna create a style
Passed out on the pavement, I won't feel afraid And the little piece of paper sayin' how we wont get paid Back out on the highway Phoenix looks the same You dont got me cuz I got no one to blame
I can't make you overstand I'm rising up in a hip-hop dance Smile if you got the beat Thats all you need
Headin' out to Houston now we're half way out the door Buddy bye, buddy bye, buddy buy, buddy buy Starin' out the window It feels good, it feels nice, it feels like you need it I know how females like to be treated
The lights upon me and the stars up above Out on the interstate its all about love love love If I never realize thats how it has to be And all the DJ daughters ought to give me money
Back out on the freeway i won't feel the same Little yellow headlights look like snails smashed in the rain
Back out on the highway Phoenix looks the same Don't ask me cuz I've got no one to blame
I can make you overstand I'm rising up in a hip-hop dance Smile if you got the beat That's all you need
My way is lonely But I won't see Because no one can tell you You've got to be afraid We've got to go out back on the highway Livin' it all real Oh for real So high uh Get it together You know You got it Real You want it real You want it real Real
This song is kick ass.
just bought this song- amazingly cool!!! yeah!! surfer song!!
it's funny, i randomly decided to buy a sublime song from puretracks. i didn't know that it would be this awesome!! but i've searched all these lyrics sites and none of them are consistent.. well, it's understandable, cuz bradley sings so damn fast in the song and the guitar kind of muffles his voice. but whatever.. it still rocks!:)
towards the end bradley sings "no one can tell you, you've got to be afraid." this is from a chili peppers song on uplift mofo party plan, fight like a brave.
I absolutely love the energy of this song. But what does it all mean? Something involving a Texas road trip and lots of drugs?
During a road trip the band partied hard and overslept after a gig in Phoenix, Arizona. The band later had a gig in Austin, Texas in just a few short hours and were hundreds of miles away. The song is Bradley's high recollection of the band driving like a bat outta hell trying to get to the gig in Texas and get paid. The speed of the song shows the rush and chaos the band was feeling.
During a road trip the band partied hard and overslept after a gig in Phoenix, Arizona. The band later had a gig in Austin, Texas in just a few short hours and were hundreds of miles away. The song is Bradley's high recollection of the band driving like a bat outta hell trying to get to the gig in Texas and get paid. The speed of the song shows the rush and chaos the band was feeling.
could it be about... how they were having trouble getting signed (and the little piece of paper sayin' how we wont get paid) how they were doing a lot of shows to build popularity which is why they are moving between cities and the massive amounts of drugs they did.. the whole song just sounds like someone tweaking.. little yellow headlights look like snails smashed in the rain.. what he is seeing while he is driving around on drugs And all the DJ daughters ought to give me money.. they were played on the radio before they got signed so he probably knew some dj
*feel sane