"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.
Chorus:
My brain is just a jellyfish in the ocean of my head
‘Cause I drank too much tequila and I woke up seein’ red
Now all I really want from life is to crawl back into bed
On account that my brain is just a jellyfish in the ocean of my head
Well I woke up this mornin’ and the phone was ringing
My boss was talking just kept on squawkin’ like a vacuum cleaner
Like a barking dog like a headache screamin’ through my mental fog
So I pulled on my pants and headed towards the door
But the room began to spin and I fell to the floor
Almost made it to work but stopped along the way
Two girls said 'hey wanna come with us to Santa Fe?'
I said I’d love to but you see I’ve got to get to my job
That’s when they knocked me out and threw me in the back of their Saab
Well I work up somewhere around Pagosa Springs
Both of them lookin’ at me and gigglin’ and whisperin things
We arrived at their house a big adobe palace
I gave a lecherous look to the girl named Alice
I could tell right away that they both were willin’
But the next thing that happened wasn’t quite so thrillin’
They said first you’ve got to come up and meet Mary’s mom
But it wasn’t a mom more like an atom bomb hit and this came Out from where the earth was split Rollin’ pin in hand Gestapo Patch on arm she was mean and she was bound to do me some harm
So I run down the steps in the front of the house
Back to the highway I scurried like a mouse
Take off my backpack pull out some rum
Take a big long swig and sick out my thumb
Chorus
I arrived at work early the next morning they said 'Where you been? Cause the boss has been roaring.'
I said “never mind that, listen what I say, If you drink too much tequila
Stay at home the next day. And don’t mess with women from Santa Fe’.
My brain is just a jellyfish in the ocean of my head
‘Cause I drank too much tequila and I woke up seein’ red
Now all I really want from life is to crawl back into bed
On account that my brain is just a jellyfish in the ocean of my head
Well I woke up this mornin’ and the phone was ringing
My boss was talking just kept on squawkin’ like a vacuum cleaner
Like a barking dog like a headache screamin’ through my mental fog
So I pulled on my pants and headed towards the door
But the room began to spin and I fell to the floor
Almost made it to work but stopped along the way
Two girls said 'hey wanna come with us to Santa Fe?'
I said I’d love to but you see I’ve got to get to my job
That’s when they knocked me out and threw me in the back of their Saab
Well I work up somewhere around Pagosa Springs
Both of them lookin’ at me and gigglin’ and whisperin things
We arrived at their house a big adobe palace
I gave a lecherous look to the girl named Alice
I could tell right away that they both were willin’
But the next thing that happened wasn’t quite so thrillin’
They said first you’ve got to come up and meet Mary’s mom
But it wasn’t a mom more like an atom bomb hit and this came Out from where the earth was split Rollin’ pin in hand Gestapo Patch on arm she was mean and she was bound to do me some harm
So I run down the steps in the front of the house
Back to the highway I scurried like a mouse
Take off my backpack pull out some rum
Take a big long swig and sick out my thumb
Chorus
I arrived at work early the next morning they said 'Where you been? Cause the boss has been roaring.'
I said “never mind that, listen what I say, If you drink too much tequila
Stay at home the next day. And don’t mess with women from Santa Fe’.
Lyrics submitted by OiSterHedPhan
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Fast Car
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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.
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“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
listen what i say.. if you drink too much tequila stay at home the next day...
haha i love this song. this was the first song by string cheese i really ever heard and its one of my favorites :)
One of my first too, bro. Absolutly hilarious. Also contains very sound advise. This song always gives me memories of times I can't remember, if that makes sense.(It should)
im currently obsessed with this song. i cant stop putting it on repeat. best line hands down is: "we arrived at their house a big adobe palace, i gave a lecherous look to the girl named alice" fuckin perfect loves it
this song is so chill. combines awesomely humorous lyrics with a great rythym and musicianship. one of my favorite sci tunes.
Very cool song. This whole album is pretty good.