"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.
Leave it on the hottest day
To sink this quarry under
What the murder on the pride would bring
Lion, crow, your kingdom
Loaded in the stoned heart
I couldn't keep the woods in you
You had to learn about the hardest things
The softest side would leave you
And on days like this
I could take apart my window
So let down, I been so let down
How deep is the hole I feel I'm in?
Seen a lot of lights and done a lot with it
In the least of the lighted
Eyes was on a roll
And the deep and the sweet hearth
Couldn't keep the word in you
You can draw it in and draw it back
Pull the best behind you
You wanna leave I got it back
You can draw it in a draw it back
How deep is this hole I feel I'm in?
Seen a lot of lights and done a lot with them
How deep is this soul I feel I'm in?
Seen a lot of lights and done a lot with them
Lately little love could call
And get in my way
Maybe we could draw this out
Of our dark display
How deep is this soul I feel I'm in?
Seen a lot of lights and done a lot within
How deep is this hole I feel I'm in?
Seen a lot of lights and done a lot within
To sink this quarry under
What the murder on the pride would bring
Lion, crow, your kingdom
Loaded in the stoned heart
I couldn't keep the woods in you
You had to learn about the hardest things
The softest side would leave you
And on days like this
I could take apart my window
So let down, I been so let down
How deep is the hole I feel I'm in?
Seen a lot of lights and done a lot with it
In the least of the lighted
Eyes was on a roll
And the deep and the sweet hearth
Couldn't keep the word in you
You can draw it in and draw it back
Pull the best behind you
You wanna leave I got it back
You can draw it in a draw it back
How deep is this hole I feel I'm in?
Seen a lot of lights and done a lot with them
How deep is this soul I feel I'm in?
Seen a lot of lights and done a lot with them
Lately little love could call
And get in my way
Maybe we could draw this out
Of our dark display
How deep is this soul I feel I'm in?
Seen a lot of lights and done a lot within
How deep is this hole I feel I'm in?
Seen a lot of lights and done a lot within
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
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.
So what's the song about? I can't seem to interpret any of it...