"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.
I am a nightmare walking
Psychopath talking
King of my jungle
Just a gangster stalking
Living life like a firecracker
Quick is my fuse
Then dead as a deathpack
The colors I choose
Red or blue cause a blood
It just don't matter
Sucker die for your life
With my shotgun scatters
We gangs of C.A. will never die
Just multiply
Colors
You don't know me, fool
You disown me
I don't need your assistance
Social persistence
Any problem I got
I just put my fist in
My life is violent
But violent is life
Peace is a dream
Reality is a knife
My colors my honour
My colors my all
With my colors upon me
One soldier stands tall
Tell me what have you left me
What have I got
Last night in cold blood
My boy got shot
My home got jacked
My mother's on crack
My sister can't work
'Cause her arms show trax
Violence insanity
Live in profanity
Then some punk claimin
They understanding me
Give me a break
What world do you live in
Death is my sect
Guess my religion
Colors
My pants are sagging
Fucked up hair
Suckers stare
But I don't care
My game ain't knowledge
My game's fear
I've no remorse
Motherfucker beware
But my true mission
Is just revenge
You ain't in my sect
You ain't my friend
Wear the wrong color
Your life could end
Homocides my favorite venge
Colors
I'll just walk like a giant
Police defiant
You'll say to stop
But I'll say that I can't
My gangs my family
It's all that I have
I'm a star
On the walls is my autograph
You don't like it
So you know where you can go
'Cause the streets are my stage
And terror's my show
Psyco-analize - tried
Diagnising me wise
It wasn't your brother
That brutally died
But it was mine
So let me define
My territory
Don't cross the line
Don't try to act crazy
'Cause the shit don't thank me
You can be read like a punk
It wouldn't amaze me
'Cause my colors death
Thou we all want peace
But our war won't end
'Til all will cease
Colors
Psychopath talking
King of my jungle
Just a gangster stalking
Living life like a firecracker
Quick is my fuse
Then dead as a deathpack
The colors I choose
Red or blue cause a blood
It just don't matter
Sucker die for your life
With my shotgun scatters
We gangs of C.A. will never die
Just multiply
Colors
You don't know me, fool
You disown me
I don't need your assistance
Social persistence
Any problem I got
I just put my fist in
My life is violent
But violent is life
Peace is a dream
Reality is a knife
My colors my honour
My colors my all
With my colors upon me
One soldier stands tall
Tell me what have you left me
What have I got
Last night in cold blood
My boy got shot
My home got jacked
My mother's on crack
My sister can't work
'Cause her arms show trax
Violence insanity
Live in profanity
Then some punk claimin
They understanding me
Give me a break
What world do you live in
Death is my sect
Guess my religion
Colors
My pants are sagging
Fucked up hair
Suckers stare
But I don't care
My game ain't knowledge
My game's fear
I've no remorse
Motherfucker beware
But my true mission
Is just revenge
You ain't in my sect
You ain't my friend
Wear the wrong color
Your life could end
Homocides my favorite venge
Colors
I'll just walk like a giant
Police defiant
You'll say to stop
But I'll say that I can't
My gangs my family
It's all that I have
I'm a star
On the walls is my autograph
You don't like it
So you know where you can go
'Cause the streets are my stage
And terror's my show
Psyco-analize - tried
Diagnising me wise
It wasn't your brother
That brutally died
But it was mine
So let me define
My territory
Don't cross the line
Don't try to act crazy
'Cause the shit don't thank me
You can be read like a punk
It wouldn't amaze me
'Cause my colors death
Thou we all want peace
But our war won't end
'Til all will cease
Colors
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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.
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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.