"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 will let you win
she'll be waiting around
then she'll push you in
and watch you drown
i've heard better to go ahead and let her in
i've been here before
but I'm not coming round again
how can you turn a blind eye when i'm screaming
i want you to hear me this time
turn around take a good look now
cuz i'm leaving
i want you to hear me, I'll be fine
she will rush you in
then slowly back out
when you're suffering
she'll push you down
i've heard better to go ahead and let her in
i've been here before
but I'm not coming round again
how can you turn a blind eye when i'm screaming
i want you to hear me this
time turn around take a good look now
cuz i'm leaving
i want you to hear me, I'll be fine
you never had time to get away
from reasons why
or the things you say
when the moment's not right
you never had time for different ways
you're wondering why
you're still the same
as you break down and cry
she'll be waiting around
then she'll push you in
and watch you drown
i've heard better to go ahead and let her in
i've been here before
but I'm not coming round again
how can you turn a blind eye when i'm screaming
i want you to hear me this time
turn around take a good look now
cuz i'm leaving
i want you to hear me, I'll be fine
she will rush you in
then slowly back out
when you're suffering
she'll push you down
i've heard better to go ahead and let her in
i've been here before
but I'm not coming round again
how can you turn a blind eye when i'm screaming
i want you to hear me this
time turn around take a good look now
cuz i'm leaving
i want you to hear me, I'll be fine
you never had time to get away
from reasons why
or the things you say
when the moment's not right
you never had time for different ways
you're wondering why
you're still the same
as you break down and cry
Lyrics submitted by rayro211
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
i can't believe no one has commented on this song!!! when i listen to this song, i imagine this guy completely head over heels for this girl who is scared of relationships...or just used to disfunctional ones...and she's breaking up with him and he's going abosolutely crazy, screaming this, going back and forth between yelling to anyone who'll listen and her. in the last paragraph, he's telling her she doesn't make sense for doing this, and she's crying because she realizes how f-ed up love is to her... anyway, SUCH a good song