"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.
When you're weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all, all
I'm on your side, oh, when times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I'll take your part, oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Sail on silver girl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
Oh, if you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all, all
I'm on your side, oh, when times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I'll take your part, oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Sail on silver girl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
Oh, if you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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,
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“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.
When you're going through a very dark time and you're emotionally exhausted and alone, a place where no friends or real support can be found.
'In between' living your old life with unhealthy, uncaring people, and wanting to move into a happier, healthier existence and away from those people you love but are sadly incapable of making that change ( sometimes everyone we know)... that's where you find the love, strength, belief and faith in yourself that you can make it.
Trusting that there is a force that loves you, hears you and can help you find the courage and faith in yourself carries you from the darkness and into the light ~ your light and your dreams. That force is the bridge - call it what you will...It could be God, or love or energy or 'the force!' but it is something real.
You are loved and supported even when you are alone and in the dark. For the brave, miracles happen there.
Beautiful, inspired lyrics.
@archetypes Brilliant+
Well, First of all. NO DRUGS! I am not an orgirnall fan, as in i wasnt born when they wrote this song. but i did have a tape of there greatest hits and i wore it out let me tell ya. but this song i have always loved. just hearing it a few minutes ago and really paying attention to the words made me think. ( i am not trying to preach or anything but) like shunammite kind a touched on. i really think this song is about one man who did lay his life down for us. Jesus.. listen to the words. It could be about a friend but with the line "When friends just can't be found" i really think it is mentioning somone else. jesus died for our sins, he laid down his life for us. he is there always for us, when we are moving right on by. Also in the 2nd "I will comfort you. I'll take your part." jesus took away our sins when he died for us. he took are place up there. But untill right before i posted this. i also thought it was a song about a dear friend (which i have used many times to help ppl) it sounds a little depressing, but it is a really nice and pleasent song.
yeah, you are an utter moron and obviously don't know a single thing about simon or garfunkel... its def. not about jesus you prick. both of them are JEWISH, you dolt.<br /> <br /> you don't have to be jesus to simply be a friend that will always be there for you.<br /> GOD.
wow, even if that is all true, no need to act like a five year old and call people names for not getting the same message as you. the great thing about this song is that it can mean alot of different things. this song could be about friendship and being there for one another, it could be about drugs (even though many seem to think that its not, but "silver girl" was a reffrence that heroine users used during the 1960's and 70's) you cant deny that, its a fact. it could also be about God, this song was originally going to be a hymn, but producers wanted more.<br /> <br /> back to the drug reffrence... i, PERSONALLY, think that it is about drugs. Simon was not an idiot, he knew what he wrote, as an artist you have to be aware of "slang"<br /> he never admitted to this because it could be damaging to him, seeing as how law enforcement was cracking down on drug uses during that era. he was covering himself when he said its about his girlfriend. simple story, easy to remember. i would've done the same thing. and again. its my opinion, it can be wrong but i could also be right.<br /> <br /> now seeing as how this song was never really said what it was about by simon and garfunkle, lets just all agree to dissagree.
The beauty about art is that anyone is free to interpret their own meaning into what they se/hear ... the only morons are the ones who don't understand that!<br /> <br /> My own interpretation could also be about relationship God has to us ... <br /> Or a parent assuring her child, that she will be there for her also in hard times!
The singer is telling us (the listener) he will get us thru the hard times we all have. Its about hope and transformation.
I agree...this song has been viewed so many times, but not a single comment has been made. This week, our high school choir did a version of this song arranged by Kirby Shaw. It was amazing. 2 of my good friends had solos for the second and third verses. It was absolutely beautiful, and they recieved a standing ovation. This song is so powerful and beautiful. This is how I feel about my best friend - I would do anything for her...no matter what she needs and I know she would do the same for me. I guess that's what having a best friend is all about.
I love this song. I don't know if anyone's said it or if it's completely obvious but I like to think the "I will lay me down" means that he would physically lay himself down as a bridge to you to help you get over this rough patch of your life. Like, he would sacrifice himself. I like what one of the earlier comments said about how it's like we're Christ for each other--we would sacrifice ourselves for a friend.
Those who say that because Simon and Garfunkel are both Jewish, and therefore this song can't possibly be about Jesus, don't know, obviously, that on their first album, "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.", they sang a very stirring rendition of "Go, Tell it on the Mountain"...a Christmas song! They also did "Silent Night/7 O'clock News" and a real gospel song called "You Can Tell the World" very convincingly, on other albums. God uses whoever He will for His purposes. It is entirely possible, and my absolute total belief and opinion that this song is Divinely inspired. I believe that God gave this song to Paul Simon, and that the song in its entirety is a message from God, through Simon and Garfunkel, to us. I believe they are the channel He used to speak to us. My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter!
I forgot to mention "Blessed", their rendition of the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. More Jesus references!!
@WayneK <br /> This song is about, and sung by heroin.<br /> Heroin is telling the user how it promises to anesthetize their pain, and loneliness.it promises to be EVERYTHING to the user.<br /> This is heroin's seduction. And why it is so attractive and quickly addictive. It promises to be there even when they die, silver girl, I'm sailing with you. This is one of the best songs sung BY the voice of a dangerous drug.<br /> My favorite, as far as this concept goes is 'Sin Sin Sin"- Robbie Williams<br />
This must be considered for top 5 songs of all time. Beautiful meaning and sound. I love to give this song a listen when I'm in a sad mood.
when i first heard this song i didnt listen to the words, and based on the melody i fealt it as kind of a depressing song, and when it said "i will lay me down" i thought of kind of giving up. then i listened to the words and found the lyrics and it was not that at all...one of the best songs ever written, simple, but amazing. so moving. it can relate to everyone.
Passionate and powerful song!
I can't believe that in almost a YEAR, no one has written a comment on this amazing song about friendship and togetherness. This song epitomizes why we have friends... Because the real friends stick around when times are dark while the others scatter for a better view.
This is about two people; a man and woman who start as friends.....very close friends and things evolve into a deeper romantic soul-mate relationship. The (he) person is there for her, as she grows and evolves and eventually the relationship flickers to an ember however, as she starts to move on in her life, (she is younger than he and has yet to season with life's joys, triumphs and tragedies, he will always be her bridge over troubled water, then, now and forever. Waiting for her at the other end of the bridge on the other side, when they both will be together for eternity.
Yeah, that's what I thought of the song as well.
I mean maxpower114's interpretation summed it up perfectly.
This is my first post, so, please feel free to let me know if I can do a better job at anything. In "Bridge Over Troubled Waters," There is a reference to "Sail on Silver Girl." What is that referencing?
@maxpower114 "And friends just can't be found" - think on it for a minute.
@maxpower114 "And friends just can't be found" - think on it for a minute.