"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 memories
I keep them away from me
They won't behave
Won't be what I want them to be
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So many squandered moments
So much wasted time
So busy chasing dreams
I left myself behind
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
These worms, darling
They're nibbling away at me
They go at it when I'm sleeping
Won't let me get to my feet
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting -
If I could find the words to explain this feeling
I would shout them out
If I could find out all this, what's inside me
I would shout it out
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shouting it out
I make some coffee
Pull on that new pair of pants
I can get so far
The feeling just falls away
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
I'm just tired, baby
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, baby
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
I keep them away from me
They won't behave
Won't be what I want them to be
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So many squandered moments
So much wasted time
So busy chasing dreams
I left myself behind
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
These worms, darling
They're nibbling away at me
They go at it when I'm sleeping
Won't let me get to my feet
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting -
If I could find the words to explain this feeling
I would shout them out
If I could find out all this, what's inside me
I would shout it out
So this dying slowly
It seemed better than shooting myself
This dying slowly
It seemed better than shouting it out
I make some coffee
Pull on that new pair of pants
I can get so far
The feeling just falls away
I've seen it all and it's all done
I've been with everyone and no one
I'm just tired, baby
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, baby
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
I just need to lay down
I'm just tired, darling
Lyrics submitted by hang on to a dream
Dying Slowly Lyrics as written by Dickon James Hinchliffe Stuart Ashton Staples
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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.
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It is an honour to be the first to comment this brilliant song.... I think it is about the human condition, we all are dying slowly, though we keep forgetting it when we are engaged in the habit of everyday.
an excellent song.he can't help but is dying slowly..saying that it seemed better actually means that ...it is somewhat beyond a choice ...living, having memories not the way you'd like them and dreaming away the present with all the possibilities that just don't get realised ...not in the least depressed though,very smooth melody...one of their best songs
in the tindersticks song blood, he talks about drug addiction
Love this song. We all feel like this sometimes, like we are dying slowly. Is he saying also he is a coward? He can't bring himself to suicide, so he'll just die slowly?
To me, as an alchy who's just discovering that he's an addict this song really sounds like it was written by an alcoholic. Absolutely excellent tune and when the strings kick in about half-way through it just does some serious emotional damage. Beautiful song.