"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.
Too alarmin' now to talk about
Take your pictures down and shake it out
Truth or consequence, say it aloud
Use that evidence, race it around
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
Don't the best of them bleed it out
While the rest of them peter out?
Truth or consequence, say it aloud
Use that evidence, race it around
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
Kudos, my hero
Leavin' all the mess
You know my hero
The one that's on
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
Take your pictures down and shake it out
Truth or consequence, say it aloud
Use that evidence, race it around
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
Don't the best of them bleed it out
While the rest of them peter out?
Truth or consequence, say it aloud
Use that evidence, race it around
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
Kudos, my hero
Leavin' all the mess
You know my hero
The one that's on
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
There goes my hero
Watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
He's ordinary
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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Actually I heard that Dave said "['My Hero' is] my way of saying that when I was young, I didn't have big rock heroes, I didn't want to grow up and be some big sporting hero. My heroes were ordinary people and the people that I have a lot of respect for are just solid everyday people - people you can rely on."
Yes And That Is The Meaning. He Didn't Write It About Kurt Cobain At All He Wrote It About Just Ordinary Everyday People That Should Be Considered Hero's Not Sporting Athletes Or Full Time Pop Stars, Just Everyday people. And If You Ask Him Whether Its About Kurt He'll Go Ape And Tell You He Didn't.
I couldn't agree with @rbach48 more. I doubt if this is about Cobain. I think it is about your everyday hero, someone that inspires you and you can look up to. I cry everytime I here this song. I touches something in me. My son was injured at work (at 25) and severed his spinal cord and is a paraplegic. He went through hell emotionally, drugs, dinking, major depression trying to wrap his head around what had happened to him. Finally he grabbed the brass ring....went back to University out of town...had to live in a dorm which was not easy, fighting ice, snow etc in a wheelchair for 4 years. Got his Architecural Engineering degree, has a home now, nice truck beautiful girlfriend for 8 years......Now THERE GOES MY HERO!!!
Chris I love you and am VERY proud of you.
I know that you posted this almost a year ago, but I hope you come back to read this.<br /> <br /> The story of your son brought me near to tears. That doesn't happen often. I have a son and a daughter who I love very much. 'To the point that I can't grasp how fortunate and honored I am to have them in my life. I hear that in your 'voice'. You have that with your son. And you are amazed by him. <br /> <br /> I know the feeling. We are truly blessed.<br /> <br /> SoftBlue (58 year old father)
@Penelopeg Wow, what a story! Sorry for the horrible thing that happened to your son. What an amazing comeback! Thank you for sharing his inspiring story. If it's ok with you, I'd like to share this with my Interpersonal Communication class at Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. I'm sure it'll touch them as it has me!
Everyone, right now, is thinking about their ordinary hero... someone who changed the world for the better, just because they could, just because they had to. For me, that person is Steve Irwin. But it could be anyone... parent, police officer... whatever... unbelievable song.
Love this song. I think it's been overplayed, wish it was a deep album track that only the faithful appreciated, but how can you stop a great song from becoming popular? For me, I think of people like my father. Just an ordinary guy that works his ass off. Who is your hero? Some guy that can slam dunk or make a million dollars? Some hollywood actor? $#%# that @#!$, the people in your everday lives that support and protect you should be your heroes. Cried when I heard this in concert. My dad has cancer, still works his ass off, I remember watching him go out the door to work at like 6 am. There goes my hero, damn it.
Many of the best songs have a life far beyond their initial inspiration. <br /> <br /> I just naturally interpret the meaning subjectively and personally.<br /> <br /> I have many heroes. <br /> <br /> "the people in your everday lives that support and protect you"<br /> <br /> I'd say that is the perfect meaning. I couldn't have said it as well.<br /> <br /> It's great to hear a son who loves his father say so.
This song kicks ass, Dave is one cool song writter, a true great!
'My Hero' was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential." - Dave Grohl, (quite rightly) pissed off about John McCain using it as his campaign song.
It is NOT about Kobain, although i'm sure other songs are.
source: uk.news.launch.yahoo.com/dyna/article.html
"dont tell me how to make a record i was in nirvana. i was in the greatest rock and roll band of the 90s. we changed the course of rock music." --dave grohl drunk
kudos, my hero.
A) This is not about Kurt Cobain. B) This is quite possibly their best song.
@username <br /> A) I hope you're right<br /> B) You may be thinking of Everlong. ;;)
this is my favorite song from the foo fighters i (personally) like it a hellof a lot better than everlong.
whatever its about, its a rocking song. i've got an acoustic version, so god... dave is an awesome song writer. i like nirvana too, but i was 8 when kurt died, so i don't know alot of their music, so in my eyes foo fighters are better. don't hurt me for having an opinion... please