"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.
Dear, unlock the door
You're acting like a child
When you've said it to yourself
We are at war
How dare you turn on me now
Right when I need you most
I wish I could have seen their faces
When they heard the news
Now that's the sort of smack
That leaves a bruise
The victory is ours at last
I beat them at their own dirty game
They pervert the words of godly men
For their own selfish gain
I took their wrong and I took their lies
And I made them right,
I made them right
Oh, look who it is
It's my supportive wife
And she thinks she's going to squeal
Hey where do you think you're going?
Don't you walk away from me
You put down that telephone
You're not calling anyone
You're acting like a child
When you've said it to yourself
We are at war
How dare you turn on me now
Right when I need you most
I wish I could have seen their faces
When they heard the news
Now that's the sort of smack
That leaves a bruise
The victory is ours at last
I beat them at their own dirty game
They pervert the words of godly men
For their own selfish gain
I took their wrong and I took their lies
And I made them right,
I made them right
Oh, look who it is
It's my supportive wife
And she thinks she's going to squeal
Hey where do you think you're going?
Don't you walk away from me
You put down that telephone
You're not calling anyone
Lyrics submitted by fadeintome
A Mind of Her Own Lyrics as written by David Shannon Bazan
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
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.
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.
Ummm...tobenut85
The album is actually about two brothers. One a crokked politician and the other a drunken screwup. The album is a pointed tale about how "success" doesn't necessarily lead to salvation. It's the drunken brother who get's pulled over by the cops and says "he's been such a good example" and "brother sat me down very graciously and explained if i'm going to help you i must make it very clear brother that i love you ". He doesn't want his brother (the politician) to be embrassed by his drunkenness.
It's the politician who kills his wife and thereby, ironically, shaming the Family Name. That's why at the end, the father cries "but lord i've always done what's right ".
This album is fantastic and David Bazan is one of the most amazing lyricists and songwriters I've ever heard.
any band that mentions God in a song is automatically labeled a 'christian band'. it's pretty messed up, if you ask me.
heh, this was the first pedro the lion song i heard....great album, david bazan is in my opinion the greatest songwriter of our generation
Ok. a little bit about Pedro the Lion. First: He is a Christian. and he does talk about christianity. But he doesn't preach it to you under a hot spotlight. He talks about real life issues and tried to solve them with his faith. Not like other christians band that are about "i love God, God loves me yea God" He doesn't try to sugar-coat the message. His music is suppose to make you uncomfortable. It's suppose to make to you think. Second: Pedro the Lion is ONE person. David Bazan. he does all the instruments on the albums and has friends help him out during live shows. Pedro the Lion WAS a group. But all the members left because they wanted to be "another christian rock band" Third: Most of his album are concept albums. Meaning loosely the album is a story. the tracks are chapters. you have to listen to the whole album to hear what he's talking about. Hope this clears stuff up. David Bazan is the man.
cripes, he sounds really pissed off at the end of the tune, like he really is a psycho politician who is really about to kill his wife.
well,thats the power of denial
thats the power of god blessed pedro the lion
amen
and amen
what a fucked up song