"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've got a smile on my face, and I've got four walls around me
I've got the sun in the sky, all the water surround me
Oh you know, ya I've been down and sometimes I'll lose
I've been battered, but I'll never bruise... it's not so bad
And I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say... it's all right.
Gina sings on the corner, what keeps her from dying
Let them say what they want, but she won't stop trying..Oh you know,
She might stumble, they push her 'round
She might fall, but she'll never lie down...it's not so bad
And I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say... it's all right.
It's alright, it's alright...it's ALRIGHT.
'Cause in this beautiful life there's always some sorrow
And It's a double-edged knife, but there's always tomorrow..Oh you know,
It's up to you now if you sink or swim,
Just keep the faith and you're ship will come in?.it's not so bad
And I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say...
I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say... it's all right, it's all right
I've got a smile on my face, and I've got four walls around me
I've got the sun in the sky, all the water surround me
Oh you know, ya I've been down and sometimes I'll lose
I've been battered, but I'll never bruise... it's not so bad
And I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say... it's all right.
Gina sings on the corner, what keeps her from dying
Let them say what they want, but she won't stop trying..Oh you know,
She might stumble, they push her 'round
She might fall, but she'll never lie down...it's not so bad
And I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say... it's all right.
It's alright, it's alright...it's ALRIGHT.
'Cause in this beautiful life there's always some sorrow
And It's a double-edged knife, but there's always tomorrow..Oh you know,
It's up to you now if you sink or swim,
Just keep the faith and you're ship will come in?.it's not so bad
And I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say...
I say way-hey-hey, it's just an ordinary day
And it's all your state of mind
At the end of the day,
You've just got to say... it's all right, it's all right
I've got a smile on my face, and I've got four walls around me
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
There are countless songs out there that can pick you up when you're feeling low... not a one of them comes close to this song. "There's always tomorrow... it's just an ordinary day." Today may seem like the worst day ever, but a different perspective will prove that life's not so bad. Tomorrow will be better, and life will go on. It's only sorrowful if you choose to dwell on it. This song is the perfect thing to keep you from doing so.