"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.
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
Said, said, said I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown
Oba observing the hypocrites
As they would mingle with the good people we meet
Good friends we have, oh, good friends we've lost
Along the way (way)
In this great future, you can't forget your past
So dry your tears, I say and
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
'Ere, little darlin', don't shed no tears
No, woman, no cry
Said, said, said, I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown
And then Georgie would make the fire light
As it was log wood burnin' through the night
Then we would cook cornmeal porridge
Of which I'll share with you
My feet is my only carriage
So I've got to push on through
But while I'm gone, I mean
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
So woman, no cry
No no woman, no woman, no cry
Oh my little sister, don't shed no tears
No woman, no cry
I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown
And then Georgie would make the fire light
As it was log wood burnin' through the night
Then we would cook cornmeal porridge
Of which I'll share with you
My feet is my only carriage
So I've got to push on through
But while I'm gone
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
Oh my little darlin', say don't shed no tears
No woman, no cry, ay
Little darling, don't shed no tears
No, woman, no cry
Little sister, don't shed no tears
No, woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
Said, said, said I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown
Oba observing the hypocrites
As they would mingle with the good people we meet
Good friends we have, oh, good friends we've lost
Along the way (way)
In this great future, you can't forget your past
So dry your tears, I say and
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
'Ere, little darlin', don't shed no tears
No, woman, no cry
Said, said, said, I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown
And then Georgie would make the fire light
As it was log wood burnin' through the night
Then we would cook cornmeal porridge
Of which I'll share with you
My feet is my only carriage
So I've got to push on through
But while I'm gone, I mean
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
Everything's gonna be all right
So woman, no cry
No no woman, no woman, no cry
Oh my little sister, don't shed no tears
No woman, no cry
I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown
And then Georgie would make the fire light
As it was log wood burnin' through the night
Then we would cook cornmeal porridge
Of which I'll share with you
My feet is my only carriage
So I've got to push on through
But while I'm gone
No woman, no cry
No woman, no cry
Oh my little darlin', say don't shed no tears
No woman, no cry, ay
Little darling, don't shed no tears
No, woman, no cry
Little sister, don't shed no tears
No, woman, no cry
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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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
unbelievable