"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.
Ooh, hey hey, oh
What we're living in
Let me tell ya
And it's a wonder man can eat at all
When things are big that should be small
Who can tell what magic spells we'll be doing for us?
And I'm giving all my love to this world
Only to be told
I can't see, I can't breathe
No more will we be
And nothing's gonna change the way we live
'Cause we can always take but never give
And now that things are changing for the worse, see
Whoa, it's a crazy world we're living in
And I just can't see that half of us immersed in sin
Is all we have to give these
Futures made of virtual insanity
Now always seem to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting of our new technology
Oh, now there is no sound for we all live underground
And I'm thinking what a mess we're in
Hard to know where to begin
If I could slip the sickly ties of earth that man has made
And now every mother can choose the color
Of her child
That's not nature's way
Well that's what they said yesterday
There's nothing left to do but pray
I think it's time to find a new religion
Whoa, it's so insane
To synthesize another strain
There's something in these futures that we have to be told
Futures made of virtual insanity
Now always seem to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting of our new technology
Oh, now there is no sound for we all live underground, whoa
Now there is no sound
If we all live underground
And now it's virtual insanity
Forget your virtual reality
Oh, there's nothing so bad as a meddlin' man
Oh yeah
I know, yeah
(Ooh)
Futures made of virtual insanity
Now always seem to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting of our new technology
Oh, now there is no sound for we all live underground, oh
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) Now this life that we're living
It's all going wrong, it's out of the window
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) You know that there is nothing worse than
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) A rambling man, there is nothing worse than
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) A foolish mind, yeah
Virtual insanity is what we're living in
Yeah, well it's alright
What we're living in
Let me tell ya
And it's a wonder man can eat at all
When things are big that should be small
Who can tell what magic spells we'll be doing for us?
And I'm giving all my love to this world
Only to be told
I can't see, I can't breathe
No more will we be
And nothing's gonna change the way we live
'Cause we can always take but never give
And now that things are changing for the worse, see
Whoa, it's a crazy world we're living in
And I just can't see that half of us immersed in sin
Is all we have to give these
Futures made of virtual insanity
Now always seem to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting of our new technology
Oh, now there is no sound for we all live underground
And I'm thinking what a mess we're in
Hard to know where to begin
If I could slip the sickly ties of earth that man has made
And now every mother can choose the color
Of her child
That's not nature's way
Well that's what they said yesterday
There's nothing left to do but pray
I think it's time to find a new religion
Whoa, it's so insane
To synthesize another strain
There's something in these futures that we have to be told
Futures made of virtual insanity
Now always seem to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting of our new technology
Oh, now there is no sound for we all live underground, whoa
Now there is no sound
If we all live underground
And now it's virtual insanity
Forget your virtual reality
Oh, there's nothing so bad as a meddlin' man
Oh yeah
I know, yeah
(Ooh)
Futures made of virtual insanity
Now always seem to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting of our new technology
Oh, now there is no sound for we all live underground, oh
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) Now this life that we're living
It's all going wrong, it's out of the window
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) You know that there is nothing worse than
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) A rambling man, there is nothing worse than
(Livin' in, virtual insanity) A foolish mind, yeah
Virtual insanity is what we're living in
Yeah, well it's alright
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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”
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.
A thought. We all now -live- in the 'digital underground' i.e., what 'the Internet' was known to be in the mid-90s, and largely populated by those who'd been on the BBS before, versed on IRC, and so on.
And there is no sound. Because nobody picks up the phone anymore. We all text. We all type.
Scary.