"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 used to be a renegade
I used to fool around
But I couldn't take the punishment
And had to settle down
Now I'm playing it real straight
And yes, I cut my hair
You might think I'm crazy, but I don't even care
'Cause I can tell what's going on
It's hip to be square
It's hip to be square
I like my bands in business suits
I watch them on TV
I'm workin' out 'most every day
And watchin' what I eat
They tell me that it's good for me
But I don't even care
I know that it's crazy, I know that it's nowhere
But there is no denying that
It's hip to be square
It's hip to be square
It's hip to be square
So hip to be square
It's not too hard to figure out
You see it every day
And those that were the farthest out
Have gone the other way
You see them on the freeway
It don't look like a lot of fun
But don't you try to fight it
And an idea whose time has come
Don't tell me that I'm crazy, don't tell me I'm nowhere
Take it from me
It's hip to be square
It's hip to be square
It's hip to be square
So hip to be square
Tell 'em, boys
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip, so hip to be square
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip, so hip to be square
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip, so hip to be square
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip, so hip to be square
Here, there, and everywhere
So hip to be square
Hip, hip
I used to fool around
But I couldn't take the punishment
And had to settle down
Now I'm playing it real straight
And yes, I cut my hair
You might think I'm crazy, but I don't even care
'Cause I can tell what's going on
It's hip to be square
It's hip to be square
I like my bands in business suits
I watch them on TV
I'm workin' out 'most every day
And watchin' what I eat
They tell me that it's good for me
But I don't even care
I know that it's crazy, I know that it's nowhere
But there is no denying that
It's hip to be square
It's hip to be square
It's hip to be square
So hip to be square
It's not too hard to figure out
You see it every day
And those that were the farthest out
Have gone the other way
You see them on the freeway
It don't look like a lot of fun
But don't you try to fight it
And an idea whose time has come
Don't tell me that I'm crazy, don't tell me I'm nowhere
Take it from me
It's hip to be square
It's hip to be square
It's hip to be square
So hip to be square
Tell 'em, boys
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip, so hip to be square
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip, so hip to be square
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip, so hip to be square
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip
Here, there, and everywhere
Hip, hip, so hip to be square
Here, there, and everywhere
So hip to be square
Hip, hip
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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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
haha, fans of American Psycho should love this song.