"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.
Love's sweet exile
Love's sweet exile
We blur into images of state coercion
Classified machines die misunderstood
City reflections pour out misery
We don't count 'cause we hate
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Leave this country
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Leave it
Despair seeps through and cuts our eyes
Unified collapse of everything inside
We understand but can't accept
You are not dead 'cause we hate
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Leave this country
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Leave it
Our lives drift into a faceless sense of void
Everything of meaning becomes destroyed
There's too much concrete for us to breathe
We are kept down 'cause we hate
Love's sweet exile
Love's sweet exile
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Leave this country
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Believe it
Love's sweet exile
Love's sweet exile
Love's sweet exile
We blur into images of state coercion
Classified machines die misunderstood
City reflections pour out misery
We don't count 'cause we hate
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Leave this country
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Leave it
Despair seeps through and cuts our eyes
Unified collapse of everything inside
We understand but can't accept
You are not dead 'cause we hate
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Leave this country
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Leave it
Our lives drift into a faceless sense of void
Everything of meaning becomes destroyed
There's too much concrete for us to breathe
We are kept down 'cause we hate
Love's sweet exile
Love's sweet exile
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Leave this country
Rain down alienation
Leave this country
Believe it
Love's sweet exile
Love's sweet exile
Lyrics submitted by ShiverForMe
Love's Sweet Exile Lyrics as written by Edwards Bradfield
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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.
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Ed Sheeran
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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.
That 'Between the billboard masturbation...' bit is from a Patrick Jones (Nicky Wire's brother) poem, the name of which has long since esceped me. What about the Camus quote at the beginning of the video? 'Then came human beings. They wanted to cling, but there was nothing to cling to'? Fuels the theme of isolation, and clinging to the by-products of a capitalist society, eh?
Beyond sensationalist tactics, I'm not sure what relevance the video has to the song. Anyway, I think the song tries to destroy the idea of blind loyalty to your country of birth in the chorus line. State coercion, the destruction of meaning by capitalist culture, the concrete jungle, lives lived as automatons - why should we be loyal to this? Interesting, really - they seem to favour 'flight' over 'fight'. Or am I taking this too literally?
hehe..."between the billboard masturbation across highways of metallic isolation" -- that's gotta be the greatest opening lyric ever
this is the sexiest music video ever
Love the 80's sounding stadium rock drums. Rock on :)
Class struggle, etc, I assume, like a lot of their songs. Don't think the title really has much to do with the rest of the song.
I thought this was about imperialism. From any 1st world countries viewpoint, percieved 'threats' in the form of extremist religions or simply refugees or asylum seekers are very powerful. It's saying take action against anyone or anything that could potentially affect what we take for granted. The 'leave this country' line I think refers to supporting aggressive or military action abroad, but not close to home. NOT 'leave this country' as in 'get out!.'That's what I'm hearing anyway.
Confirmation please- I've heard two stories about Richey, one that he wasn't really interested in sex at all, that he left uni a virgin and would spend all his time with his girlfriend of 4 years just having great discussions with each other. Alternatively I've also heard that he was a complete sexual monster, having massive orgies backstage, employing prostitutes, etc. That story seems rather hypocritical of him, what with all he said about the decadent lifestyles of Freddie Mercury and all the old stars. However, when I see videos of him and Nicky Wire, particularly in this one and You Love Us, the two of them seemed to be acting like a couple... What's the truth?! Not that I suppose it really matters but I'm curious to know.
Had my attention drawn back to this by a marker-upper. I can now confirm that, in part at least, most of this is true- Richey's interest in sex was very limited and he found it disappointing and overrated ('Nature's lukewarm pleasure' in fact- She Is Suffering). He also did not lose his virginity until after university. (Little titbit here- the partner was an older woman, someone in the music business, who took Richey aside at an aftershow party, much to the despair of James, who was reported to have raged at her "Do you have any idea what you've done?!" afterwards.) After that, yes there were a lot of one-night-stands, backstage orgies, etc, although 'monster' is a bit harsh, and Richey claimed to feel himself dirty after them. There is only one record of him paying- the notorious handjob he received in Thailand. He and Nicky (who was actually the one making the Freddie Mercury, Michael Stipe, etc comments) were very close friends but nothing more, despite their dabbling in homoerotic imagery in their videos.
To @manic4manics The first idea seems more ideal because we are talking about Richey here, i wouldnt take him as a very sexual person, as I've read he didnt lose his virginity up until he was 21,beyond that its just pretty fiction you know, i know he had better things to do than to hire prostitutes but yet thats only my opinion
Well the song is so sweet! And i adore the music video, i know my heart desires Richey and Nicky being couples, i just love how they look at eachother, filled with love! I think the song could be about anything that includes Alienation and Despair as a big factor... Because its obvious lol
Does anyone think this is about gay lovers? Considering the video and title.