"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.
She tries not to shatter
Kaleidoscope style
Personality changes behind her red smile
Every new problem brings a stranger inside
Helplessly forcing one more new disguise
Christine, the strawberry girl
Christine, banana split lady
Christine, the strawberry girl
Christine, banana split lady
Singing sweet savages lost in our world
This big-eyed girl sees her faces unfurl
Now she's in purple, now she's the turtle
Disintegrating
Kaleidoscope style
Personality changes behind her red smile
Every new problem brings a stranger inside
Helplessly forcing one more new disguise
Christine, the strawberry girl
Christine, banana split lady
Christine, the strawberry girl
Christine, banana split lady
Singing sweet savages lost in our world
This big-eyed girl sees her faces unfurl
Now she's in purple, now she's the turtle
Disintegrating
Lyrics submitted by DallasLeigh
Christine Lyrics as written by Susan Ballion Steven Bailey
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Written after reading the book The Three Faces Of Eve about Christine Sizemore who suffers from multiply personality disorder, the names in the songs, Strawberry Girl, Turtle Lady etc. are actual names that Christine's children gave to the different distinct personalities, of which there were 22 in all.
Certainly seems to be about someone with multiple split personalities.
I hope I never go mad. What do you think MrLongrove?
Nope I think we're just fine.
this song is about the book "3 faces of eve", where many of the references in the song, "banana split lady, strawberry girl" are what eves children called her different personalities in the book.
About a Schizophrenic, seems to indicate personal experience with one. Scary. Poignant.
its called dissasociative identity disorder (DID), aka multiple personality disorder NOT SCHIZOPHRENIA. schizophrenia is where a person will hear voices or see people that arent there. DID is where the person will have several seperate personas, like in this song.
I always thought it was about a girl going through adolescence and trying on new personalities as she develops a sense of self. Then again, I first heard this song when I myself was a teen
wow, Siouxsie and the Banshees always have such complicated songs to understand, but I guess that's part of why I like them so much. Anyway, this song and Hong Kong Garden are probably my two fav's.
wow awesome i must never admit i never thought about the lyrics of this song or what it about but wow so cool.
Here is why it could be about adolescence
She tries not to shatter, kaleidoscope style (she tries to retain grace and dignity after some humiliatine adolescent fiasco) Personality changes behind her red smile. (she puts on lipstick and feels more "grown up") Every new problem brings a stranger inside Helplessly forcing one more new disguise (she tries on different personalities or ways of acting with each new circumstance)
Christine-the strawberry girl (pink clothing and/or strawberry flavored lip gloss, both fashion/beauty standbys for girls in their teens around the time this song was recorded) Christine-banana split lady (cultural strerotype of teenage girls liking sweets, especially ice cream and sundaes)
Singing sweet savages lost in our world. (Teenagers going unnoticed by the world of adults)
This big-eyed girl sees her faces unfurl (She sees all the facets of her personality develop)
Now she's in purple (A fun-loving partygoer wearing colorful clothes) Now she's the turtle (she feels awkward and shy)
That's why I believe this could be a song about a girl going through teenhood
Haha I had no clue she said "banana split lady" even knowing that, it still doesn't sound like thats what she's saying.
@Muzzy hahaha! Me too, i thought she was singing “not a sweet lady” lol ????