"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.
It's been such a long time
I think I should be goin', yeah
And time doesn't wait for me, it keeps on rollin'
Sail on, on a distant highway
I've got to keep on chasin' a dream, yeah
I've gotta be on my way
Wish there was something I could say
Well, I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' on
You'll forget about me after I've been gone
And I take what I find, I don't want no more
It's just outside of your front door
Ah yeah, it's been such a long time, it's been such a long time
Well, I get so lonely when I am without you
But in my mind, deep in my mind
I can't forget about you
Good times, and faces that remind me, yeah
I'm tryin' to forget your name and leave it all behind me
You're comin' back to find me
Well I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' on
You'll forget about me after I've been gone
And I take what I find, I don't want no more
It's just outside of your front door, yeah, yeah, yeah
It's been such a long time, it's been such a long time
Yeah
It's been such a long time, I think I should be goin', yeah
And time dosnt wait for me, it keeps on rollin'
There's a long road, I've gotta stay in time with, yeah
I've got to keep on chasin' that dream, though I may never find it
I'm always just behind it
Well I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' along
(Takin' my time) oh, just movin' along
(Takin' my time) ah, just takin' my time
(Takin' my time) oh, yeah
(Takin' my time) oh, oh
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
I think I should be goin', yeah
And time doesn't wait for me, it keeps on rollin'
Sail on, on a distant highway
I've got to keep on chasin' a dream, yeah
I've gotta be on my way
Wish there was something I could say
Well, I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' on
You'll forget about me after I've been gone
And I take what I find, I don't want no more
It's just outside of your front door
Ah yeah, it's been such a long time, it's been such a long time
Well, I get so lonely when I am without you
But in my mind, deep in my mind
I can't forget about you
Good times, and faces that remind me, yeah
I'm tryin' to forget your name and leave it all behind me
You're comin' back to find me
Well I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' on
You'll forget about me after I've been gone
And I take what I find, I don't want no more
It's just outside of your front door, yeah, yeah, yeah
It's been such a long time, it's been such a long time
Yeah
It's been such a long time, I think I should be goin', yeah
And time dosnt wait for me, it keeps on rollin'
There's a long road, I've gotta stay in time with, yeah
I've got to keep on chasin' that dream, though I may never find it
I'm always just behind it
Well I'm takin' my time, I'm just movin' along
(Takin' my time) oh, just movin' along
(Takin' my time) ah, just takin' my time
(Takin' my time) oh, yeah
(Takin' my time) oh, oh
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
(Takin' my time)
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Fast Car
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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.
American Town
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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.
I came VERY close to submitting these lyrics verbatim as my resignation letter from my last job.