"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.
They make your bed, don't they?
Long ago they fought and died for faith - what's changed?
It's said that we've learned tolerance to build more bridges
Cross those rivers, yet modern man enslaves his conscious
The undertow of blame still flows between
Giving birth to the machine
Hostilities of ancestry
Slow to understand the variance
Quick to judge on one aspect
Rust
We call them fools today
They will call us fools in days to come - what's changed?
In any age it's ignorance
He that is not with me is against me
The river of pride swells too high
Washing those bridges out to sea
Giving birth to the machine
Too proud to love - too proud
Soaking in your fears, rusting away
Never comprehending, always condescending me
Slow to understand
Quick to judge, quick to condem
Rust
Carried them for years
Stones that they once cast
Place the blame on them as if it were their past
Yesterday's distrust
Resent, regret, disgust
Still we pay for their living
Pay for their mistakes (Always)
Who will cast the latest stones of hate? (Always)
Pay for their misgivings, pay for their living
We find that on the surface there is rust
Long ago they fought and died for faith - what's changed?
It's said that we've learned tolerance to build more bridges
Cross those rivers, yet modern man enslaves his conscious
The undertow of blame still flows between
Giving birth to the machine
Hostilities of ancestry
Slow to understand the variance
Quick to judge on one aspect
Rust
We call them fools today
They will call us fools in days to come - what's changed?
In any age it's ignorance
He that is not with me is against me
The river of pride swells too high
Washing those bridges out to sea
Giving birth to the machine
Too proud to love - too proud
Soaking in your fears, rusting away
Never comprehending, always condescending me
Slow to understand
Quick to judge, quick to condem
Rust
Carried them for years
Stones that they once cast
Place the blame on them as if it were their past
Yesterday's distrust
Resent, regret, disgust
Still we pay for their living
Pay for their mistakes (Always)
Who will cast the latest stones of hate? (Always)
Pay for their misgivings, pay for their living
We find that on the surface there is rust
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death, edited by citizen511
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
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
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.
most thought out lyrics by lagwagon ever in my opinion.
-faith is runing out -machine is a mistake by man
its about the ongoing religous battles that go on like the fact that if your not like your parents youre not right it talks about the people who are preaching and think that their way is the only way .when actually there are many ways of life we as stupid humans haven;t figured out and stressing about how everything is changing won't help change a thing .only make people bitter and resentful towards people who don't understand youthful exuberance
good song =/
but, any1 else think the fading in guitar chords in the intro sound like the one in the beginning of Confession, i dunno maybe im just weird haha =/
Amazing, well constructed lyrics by Joey. It rang true in 1994, still rings ever louder and louder today.