"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.
He wasn't lookin' for fanfare or fame
But it all came around just the same.
He then met a girl with desire in her eye,
He gave her love, she took his name.
The times they were good, the times they were bad,
Most times it was just in between.
The hard pill he swallowed was the times that they had,
She put on display for all to be seen.
Some find their solace in work or the lord,
She was quite content in her dream.
When his eyes they burned from the bright lime light,
He found comfort in the bottle of Ol' Jimmy Beam.
One day from the depths of his deep darkened hole,
He reached out for something to feel.
She offered back nothin' but lack of respect
So he left himself out with two barrels of steel.
She cried in the day, she cried in the night.
She cried loudest when someone was near.
Whether crying for him or she cried for herself,
The bigger the camera, the bigger the tear.
Most folks agree that she was living a hell
And publicly she showed her pain.
And never once was there a thought for herself,
And the ever-growing slices of fortune and fame.
Now on the coattails of a dead man she'll ride
On the coattails of a dead man she'll ride.
On the coattails of a dead man she'll ride she'll ride,
On the coattails of a dead man she'll ride she'll ride high.
But it all came around just the same.
He then met a girl with desire in her eye,
He gave her love, she took his name.
The times they were good, the times they were bad,
Most times it was just in between.
The hard pill he swallowed was the times that they had,
She put on display for all to be seen.
Some find their solace in work or the lord,
She was quite content in her dream.
When his eyes they burned from the bright lime light,
He found comfort in the bottle of Ol' Jimmy Beam.
One day from the depths of his deep darkened hole,
He reached out for something to feel.
She offered back nothin' but lack of respect
So he left himself out with two barrels of steel.
She cried in the day, she cried in the night.
She cried loudest when someone was near.
Whether crying for him or she cried for herself,
The bigger the camera, the bigger the tear.
Most folks agree that she was living a hell
And publicly she showed her pain.
And never once was there a thought for herself,
And the ever-growing slices of fortune and fame.
Now on the coattails of a dead man she'll ride
On the coattails of a dead man she'll ride.
On the coattails of a dead man she'll ride she'll ride,
On the coattails of a dead man she'll ride she'll ride high.
Coattails of a Dead Man (feat. Martina Topley-Bird & Tom Waits) song meanings
Add Your Thoughts
26 Comments
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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.
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 have no idea if it is about Cobain/Love.. and I really don't think it is for my own reasons.
cutebabydoll: «"He wasn't looking for fanfare or fame" Oh SURE that's what you want to believe. Sure turn Kurt into the poor tortured saint again who never ever wanted to be a rock star or carried an ounce of ambition in him.»
You must be on dumb chick. Do you even know who Kurt Cobain is?
I kinda get the feeling:
"you're" the one who likes all our pretty songs And (s)he likes to sing along And (s)he likes to shoot his gun But (s)he don't know what it means
"Rock & roll loves to hate it's women" man you are one dumbass chick!
Improve our species, shoot yourself today. Thank you.
cutebabydoll: "Don't worry Courtney & Yoko I will defend you."<br /> <br /> First, do you really think they need you to defend them? Who the hell are you other than someone who thinks too highly of herself?<br /> <br /> Second, have you ever heard Yoko "sing". If you had, little child, you wouldn't defend her, you'd cry for those minutes of your life that were lost. I have to skip every other track on my Double Fantasy LP thanks to Yoko's dying-dolphin cries.<br /> <br /> To everyone else: I was listening to the Primus discography and heard "Coattails..." for the first time. I instantly thought of Kurt/Courntey and came here to see if I was correct in the meaning. As I was reading CUTEBABYDOLL's whining and "defending," I had to laugh at the ending of the song blaring through my speakers, "It's just a matter of opinion..." LOL<br /> <br /> -D<br /> <br /> P.S. - Nice reply, PAPOSECO! :)
@paposeco Holy balls, calm down sonny jim :)
You do realize that this is just a song don't you? Take a few deep breaths and carry on with your life.
But apart from all that it's a very well constructed song - I like the way the chorus is repeated over & over at the end instead of between the verses as you might expect. And Tom Waits' backing vocals are sublime. He sounds like he's having a whale of a time! Re the Cobain/Love angle: I'm neutral on that, but songs have to take a stand somewhere. Primus & Waits think this - anybody's free to disagree. Makes for a good, contentious song.
This song is about Kurt Kobain/Courtney Love
I very much agree. At first I just thought it was telling a regular story, but then I saw that documentary on Kurt Kobain.
This song is awesome. It really is like a sea shanty or something. Primus is awesome
it does sound like a sea shanty kind of
I don't suppose you have any links that would confirm that? It makes perfect sense and I'd never looked at it that way before, but I was just wondering if one of the guys had explicitly said that.
ha ha ha yeh, it fits perfectly. And by the way, Tom Waits rules! What would this song be without him?
WOAH, this could be about Cobain/Love.
It is.
it full on is, its clear.