"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.
Watch me heap up what I've sown
I'm made of peanuts, not of shells
God spares a quality of himself
Uniquely designed but we can't help ourselves
So â?? Why, I made the face that bugs you
I won't design conversation around you
I made the face that bugs you
Spyglass scans the field
Hold my hand, feel a chill in here
Tired of looking through you
I've found myself can you find you
Why I've made the face that bugs you
I won't design conversation around you
I made the face that bugs you
I won't design
Spyglass scans the fields
Hold my hand, still feel a chill in here
Tired of looking through you
I've found myself can you find you
Why I made the face
I won't design
I'm made of peanuts, not of shells
God spares a quality of himself
Uniquely designed but we can't help ourselves
So â?? Why, I made the face that bugs you
I won't design conversation around you
I made the face that bugs you
Spyglass scans the field
Hold my hand, feel a chill in here
Tired of looking through you
I've found myself can you find you
Why I've made the face that bugs you
I won't design conversation around you
I made the face that bugs you
I won't design
Spyglass scans the fields
Hold my hand, still feel a chill in here
Tired of looking through you
I've found myself can you find you
Why I made the face
I won't design
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
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/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
I would say Chevelle is moving away from a tool-esque sound, but anyone who's seen the video for this song might certainly think their video style is similar. The video for MIA immediately reminded me of the videos for "Sober" and "Prison Sex". But hey, Chevelle is talented, and if you're going to make a video in the style of another band, at least they chose a good band to copy from.