"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.
Are you missing us
maybe wanting to be kissing us
and if you must, please don’t be dismissing us
and when we’re gone, bailin' on the bus
Are we immersed in a sea of replicants
hard exteriors and fake gold fronts
loosing yourself in the flavor of the month
gotta be a better reason to colonize a star
gotta be a better reason man’s come so far
Is that you in the mama-ocean-people-sea
is that you in this dream as see waving at me
closer with one hand, while the other shields your eyes
as if surprised to see the universe begin
Being up on the mindspin
are you still glad that it has been
six years and seven months
this is want you want, don’t front
I’m feelin’ it right now
in this, the gold hour
part clock and part man
reconciling my life span
Keeps things whole
we move out of the space where air flows
when all of a sudden
here we are, and here we go
The evolutionary mind
turns twist backflips
in space-time the continuum
real-life planetarium
It’s a natural fact
time is speeding up there isn’t much left
heart rate increasing
bustin' through your chest, compressed
Is your life in the physical
but out of memory
comes a vision which is a miracle
yeah, that
Normally we just can’t see
it’s not natural or typical
of our same old thing
livin' too fast, unable to grasp the past
or the future when at last we ripple
after our big splash
Being up on the mindspin
are you still glad that it has been
six years and seven months
this is want you want, don’t front
I’m feelin’ it right now
in this, the gold hour
part clock and part man
reconciling my life span
You remain
and refrain
from the pain
of wasted time
last thing on my mind is
running high
fuel supply
reason why
we just don’t quit
can you get with
a melding of two minds
what's the worst thing you could find
a paper trail
that prevails
in demystification
people
want to believe
in mysteries
people
want to believe
in mysteries
is the truth so bad?
is the truth so bad?
is the truth so bad?
is the truth so bad?
maybe wanting to be kissing us
and if you must, please don’t be dismissing us
and when we’re gone, bailin' on the bus
Are we immersed in a sea of replicants
hard exteriors and fake gold fronts
loosing yourself in the flavor of the month
gotta be a better reason to colonize a star
gotta be a better reason man’s come so far
Is that you in the mama-ocean-people-sea
is that you in this dream as see waving at me
closer with one hand, while the other shields your eyes
as if surprised to see the universe begin
Being up on the mindspin
are you still glad that it has been
six years and seven months
this is want you want, don’t front
I’m feelin’ it right now
in this, the gold hour
part clock and part man
reconciling my life span
Keeps things whole
we move out of the space where air flows
when all of a sudden
here we are, and here we go
The evolutionary mind
turns twist backflips
in space-time the continuum
real-life planetarium
It’s a natural fact
time is speeding up there isn’t much left
heart rate increasing
bustin' through your chest, compressed
Is your life in the physical
but out of memory
comes a vision which is a miracle
yeah, that
Normally we just can’t see
it’s not natural or typical
of our same old thing
livin' too fast, unable to grasp the past
or the future when at last we ripple
after our big splash
Being up on the mindspin
are you still glad that it has been
six years and seven months
this is want you want, don’t front
I’m feelin’ it right now
in this, the gold hour
part clock and part man
reconciling my life span
You remain
and refrain
from the pain
of wasted time
last thing on my mind is
running high
fuel supply
reason why
we just don’t quit
can you get with
a melding of two minds
what's the worst thing you could find
a paper trail
that prevails
in demystification
people
want to believe
in mysteries
people
want to believe
in mysteries
is the truth so bad?
is the truth so bad?
is the truth so bad?
is the truth so bad?
Lyrics submitted by pen1234567
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
So what's the 6 years and 7 months thing about?