"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.
Sky is clear tonight
Sky is clear tomorrow
A star is out
I reach for one to sparkle in my hand
A star is out
I will not touch you, I am just a man
Sky is clear tonight
Sky is clear tomorrow
And every night I shut my eyes
So I don't have to see the light
Shining so bright
I'll dream about a cloudy sky, a cloudy sky
"Man was born to love
Though often he has sought
Like Icarus, to fly too high.
And far too lonely than he ought
To kiss the sum of east and west
And hold the world at his behest
To hold the terrible power
To whom only gods are blessed
But me, I am just a man"
And every night I shut my eyes
So I don't have to see the light
Shining so bright
I'll dream about a cloudy sky, a cloudy sky
And every night I shut my eyes
But now I've got them open wide
You've fallen into my hands
And now you're burning me
You're burning me
Sky is clear tomorrow
A star is out
I reach for one to sparkle in my hand
A star is out
I will not touch you, I am just a man
Sky is clear tonight
Sky is clear tomorrow
And every night I shut my eyes
So I don't have to see the light
Shining so bright
I'll dream about a cloudy sky, a cloudy sky
"Man was born to love
Though often he has sought
Like Icarus, to fly too high.
And far too lonely than he ought
To kiss the sum of east and west
And hold the world at his behest
To hold the terrible power
To whom only gods are blessed
But me, I am just a man"
And every night I shut my eyes
So I don't have to see the light
Shining so bright
I'll dream about a cloudy sky, a cloudy sky
And every night I shut my eyes
But now I've got them open wide
You've fallen into my hands
And now you're burning me
You're burning me
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Fast Car
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Head > Heels
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I have a totally different theory on the meaning...
I think it's actually about fame,
"To hold the terrible power To whom only gods are blessed- But me, I am just a man"
I don't know how obvious this is to anyone else, but he's talking about how he's been given way too much power due to fame, I think he's had interviews where he's said he's just doing music because it makes him happy, and he dislikes all the douchebaggery that comes with being a rockstar show pony diva shit. He probably just sees himself as just a regular guy and everyone fawns over him, perhaps it makes him uncomfortable.
"Man was born to love- Though often he has sought Like Icarus, to fly to high And far too lonely then he ought To kiss the sun of east and west And hold the world as his behest"
It's lonely at the top and he's been all over the world, but no real relationships to had, because most of the time it's just groupies and that's unfulfilling.
"-And every night I shut my eyes So I don't have to see the light Shining so bright I'll dream about a cloudy sky, A cloudy sky"
He could be making reference to being in the limelight, and it gets too much so he thinks of other things to try and forget it.
"And every night I shut my eyes But now I've got them open wide You've fallen into my hands And now you're burning me And now you're burning me"
fame has given him a power over people, the obsession of fans, people begging him for interviews (even handcuffing themselves to him when he turns down a photo op) the push for him to be in the lime light is burning him out.