"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.
Seven day holiday in the rain, it's June
At the time we were plain old me and you
It didn't matter that the sky came down
I never really felt like going out
Seven days watching rain inside with you
Saturday watched the game you fried our food
Nothing busy nothing easy but something you
It didn't matter that we couldn't eat out
My ship sank and my shoes were damp
Seven days hearing rain inside with you
There's always time to complain about the weather
Seasons change in a day just like each other
But we wait for summer
Seven day holiday in the rain with you
Lie awake drinking late is all that's left to do
Not a sound but the rain on the pale blue roof
It didn't matter that we couldn't sleep out
I never really felt like sleeping rough
Seven day holiday drinking dry with you
There's always time to complain about the weather
Seasons change in a day just like each other
But we wait for summer
Seven day holiday in the rain with you
Seven day holiday in the rain with you
At the time we were plain old me and you
It didn't matter that the sky came down
I never really felt like going out
Seven days watching rain inside with you
Saturday watched the game you fried our food
Nothing busy nothing easy but something you
It didn't matter that we couldn't eat out
My ship sank and my shoes were damp
Seven days hearing rain inside with you
There's always time to complain about the weather
Seasons change in a day just like each other
But we wait for summer
Seven day holiday in the rain with you
Lie awake drinking late is all that's left to do
Not a sound but the rain on the pale blue roof
It didn't matter that we couldn't sleep out
I never really felt like sleeping rough
Seven day holiday drinking dry with you
There's always time to complain about the weather
Seasons change in a day just like each other
But we wait for summer
Seven day holiday in the rain with you
Seven day holiday in the rain with you
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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.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
On the acoustic tour just before JEEP was released (or was it just after??), Kelly said that this was about him and RICHARD being away in a caravan as teenagers! "At the time we were plain old me and you."