"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 want to tell you 'bout my good thing
I ain't disclosing no names but
He sure is a good friend and
I ain't gonna tell you where he comes from, no
If I tell you you won't come again, hey
I ain't gonna tell you nothin' but I do will, but I know, yeah
Now let me tell you 'bout my girl
Open up a newspaper and what do I see? Ahh, ah
See my girl, ah, looking at me
Ooh, and when she walks, she walks
Lemme tell ya, when she talks, she talks
And when she looks me in my eye
She's my baby, Lord, I want to make her mine, yeah
Tell me baby what you want me to do?
And you want me to love you, love some other man too?
Ain't gonna call me Mr. Pitiful, no
Oh, I don't need no respect from nobody, no, no
Ahh, no no, ahh
I ain't gonna tell you nothing I ain't gonna tell you no more, no
She's my baby, let me tell you that I love her so and, and
She's the woman I really want to love and let me tell you more, ooh
She's my baby, lemme tell you, she lives next door
She's the one a-woman, the one a-woman that I know
I ain't going, I ain't going, I ain't going tell you
I ain't going tell you one thing that you really ought to know, ooh
She's my lover, baby, and I love her so and
She's the one that really makes me whirl and twirl!
And she's the kind of lover that makes me me fill the whole world and
She's the one who really makes me jump and shout, ooh
She's the kind of girl, I know what it's all about
Take it on, take it, take it, take it
Ah, excuse me
Oh, will ya excuse me
I'm just trying to find the bridge
Has anybody seen the bridge?
Please
Have you seen the bridge?
I ain't seen the bridge!
Where's that confounded bridge?
I ain't disclosing no names but
He sure is a good friend and
I ain't gonna tell you where he comes from, no
If I tell you you won't come again, hey
I ain't gonna tell you nothin' but I do will, but I know, yeah
Now let me tell you 'bout my girl
Open up a newspaper and what do I see? Ahh, ah
See my girl, ah, looking at me
Ooh, and when she walks, she walks
Lemme tell ya, when she talks, she talks
And when she looks me in my eye
She's my baby, Lord, I want to make her mine, yeah
Tell me baby what you want me to do?
And you want me to love you, love some other man too?
Ain't gonna call me Mr. Pitiful, no
Oh, I don't need no respect from nobody, no, no
Ahh, no no, ahh
I ain't gonna tell you nothing I ain't gonna tell you no more, no
She's my baby, let me tell you that I love her so and, and
She's the woman I really want to love and let me tell you more, ooh
She's my baby, lemme tell you, she lives next door
She's the one a-woman, the one a-woman that I know
I ain't going, I ain't going, I ain't going tell you
I ain't going tell you one thing that you really ought to know, ooh
She's my lover, baby, and I love her so and
She's the one that really makes me whirl and twirl!
And she's the kind of lover that makes me me fill the whole world and
She's the one who really makes me jump and shout, ooh
She's the kind of girl, I know what it's all about
Take it on, take it, take it, take it
Ah, excuse me
Oh, will ya excuse me
I'm just trying to find the bridge
Has anybody seen the bridge?
Please
Have you seen the bridge?
I ain't seen the bridge!
Where's that confounded bridge?
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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.
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.
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.
i can't believe no one has mentioned bonzo's amazing drumming in this song...
btw, Bonzo is drumming to apparently 9/8 time...simply amazing! What an amazing drummer..
In the dictionary it says, "bridge: a musical passage linking two sections of a composition." This song, unlike almost every other song ever written, does not have a bridge. There's no real chorus or transition from the main phrase of music and this gives the song the feeling of a run-on sentence. Hence the funky and abrupt ending.
Also, this song was part of the "Houses of the Holy" album, which was their fifth.
I enjoy this song simply because it is different. I also like the guitar and bass work.
This song is a play on James Brown's style in the same way that "D'yer Mak'er" messes around with reggae. The keyboard replaces the horn section. Since most of James Brown's early recordings were done live with almost no rehearsal time, he often gave directions to the band in-song e.g. "take it to the bridge" - the bridge of the song. It's not symbolic, it's a tribute to JB.
@theplunketts - well said, and "Where's that confounded bridge?" is because there IS NO BRIDGE in the song!
FUCK OFF zedleppin! i do not agree with you at all! Not that I am one of these people whom you call "Poser", but just because people like Led Zeppelin" more mainstream stuff does not mean that they are fucking posers. Why would you say that about someone who just likes the music. You can never help whether you like a song or not. The point of Led Zeppelin's music is to enjoy it. Robert Plant said that himself. Don't be so fucking analytical.
Anyway, I don't really like this song just because it just doesn't really reach me. . Love the separate components that make up the song, but as a whole, it just doesn't really do anything for me. So i guess i'm a poser.
Pabstdrinkin and zedleppin are being stupid. the real posers are people who listen to certan songs so that they look cool. zedleppin is very cool because he doesnt listen to mainstream stuff, its wrong. yeah fucking right. just listen to the songs you like, wether they're mainstream or not. and Pabstdrinkin, stairway to heaven is an awesome song.
this song, however, is a total funk song. If you listen to the intro (before the vocals) it sounds EXACTLY like a red hot chili peppers song (the kings of funk i might add) anyways its a pretty good song. not very zeppeliny, but cool cause they're tryin something thats not their regular style.
theplunketts is right. The only one to mention James Brown. Makes you wonder where some people get their information.
I think Plant was way ahead of his time on this song. 1973 and he is pushing the envelope onto some kind of melodic rap.
I see people mention the lyric paying homage to James Brown's "take me to the bridge", but I wonder if you guys are getting the actual joke. It's not simply a reference to JB. If you recall the song and the "groove" are locked into the same rhythm with no signs of letting up. "Have you seen the bridge" refers to the next "musical bridge" for the song to follow and transition into the next song structure, which it never does.
And in frustration the songs comes to a halt, with the comment,,, "Where's that confounded bridge" ?
First, this song ain't bad. Check it out, all of you.This song is kinda wierd in the sense that they are exploring new terroritory. The rythym and beat and overall music this song generates is not of Zep nature. (This came out on Led Zeppelin 3, didn't it? If I am mistaken, let me know) Robert is, once again, talking about his girl. I have no clue what the bridge is...maybe they/he were high?
It's actually from Houses of The Holy.
First, this song ain't bad. Check it out, all of you.This song is kinda wierd in the sense that they are exploring new terroritory. The rythym and beat and overall music this song generates is not of Zep nature. (This came out on Led Zeppelin 3, didn't it? If I am mistaken, let me know) Robert is, once again, talking about his girl. I have no clue what the bridge is...maybe they/he were high?