"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.
Let's get drunk, you can drive us to the harbor
Wish upon a star, but do you know what stars are?
Balls of fire burning up the black space
Falling from the landscape
Exploding in the Face of God
Let's get crazy, talk about our big plans
Places that you're going, places that I haven't been
Build my walls up, concrete castle
Keep this kingdom free of hassles
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
But I hear sound echo in the emptiness all around
What you can't change is loneliness
Look at what you've found, I'm falling down
Taste the saline rolling down your cheekbone
Tell me that you're alone, tell me on the telephone
Feel your heart, it breaks within your chest now
Try to get some rest now
Sleep's not coming easy for a while, child
Child, yeah
But I hear sound echo in the emptiness all around
What you can't change is loneliness
Look at what you've found, I'm falling down
Down, down, down, down
But I hear sound echo in the emptiness all around
What you can't change is loneliness
Look at what you've found, I'm falling down
Look at what you've found, I'm falling down
Wish upon a star, but do you know what stars are?
Balls of fire burning up the black space
Falling from the landscape
Exploding in the Face of God
Let's get crazy, talk about our big plans
Places that you're going, places that I haven't been
Build my walls up, concrete castle
Keep this kingdom free of hassles
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
But I hear sound echo in the emptiness all around
What you can't change is loneliness
Look at what you've found, I'm falling down
Taste the saline rolling down your cheekbone
Tell me that you're alone, tell me on the telephone
Feel your heart, it breaks within your chest now
Try to get some rest now
Sleep's not coming easy for a while, child
Child, yeah
But I hear sound echo in the emptiness all around
What you can't change is loneliness
Look at what you've found, I'm falling down
Down, down, down, down
But I hear sound echo in the emptiness all around
What you can't change is loneliness
Look at what you've found, I'm falling down
Look at what you've found, I'm falling down
Lyrics submitted by prayingmantis84
Down Lyrics as written by Michael Wayne Atha Don Nix
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Little Feat
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
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.
To say this song is purely about "shattered dreams" is to generalize carefully crafted verses into some overall angsty and cliche recognition of pain in song. "Down" shouldn't be treated like some Dashboard lament. Why? Because McMahon is more versatile than that. The song takes us through the last night of a couple's relationship all the way though the brutal realization of its inevitable disintegration. He starts off: "let's get drunk, you can drive us to the harbor..." only to admit that they can only "get crazy, talk about our big plans" after some courage from the bottle. This forced seperation is apparent even before the the physical distance. McMahon is keeping his kingdom free of hassle, taking oncoming heartache and emotion and chucking it over his walls. He urges her to get crazy, talking "about their big plans," but its a farce...and he knows it. The scene is contrastive, with his girlfriend's anxiousness for the mysertious future met with his detachment and nostalgia. There's something special in his description of stars: his imagery is a feast, trying not-so-subtely to quickly allow the listeneer to relate to his feelings of love for the girl. Over-the-top? Yeah. But its mean't to be, as McMahon stealthy acknowledgers how younger relationship are dominated by infatuation and grandiose emotions.
Actually, Andrew wrote the song about his girlfriend. It's about how the distance between the 2 of them are causing problems.
Let's get drunk You can drive us to the harbor Wish upon a star but Do you know what stars are?
teenage fun and wishing to be something someday...
Balls of fire, burning up the black space Falling from the landscape Exploding in the face of God
i love this part. by far the best part of the song
Let's get crazy, Talk about our big plans Places that you're going Places that I haven't been
again teenage fun and mischief... dreaming of the future, dreaming of it as full of hope and possibilities
Build my walls up Concrete castle Keep this kingdom free of hassle, yeah
keeping himself disconnected... out of touch so that he wont get hurt (free of hassle)
I hear sound echo in the emptiness All around but you can't change this loneliness Look what you've found, I've fallen down
fast forward to the future... you find that all your hopes and possibilities are but a dream and that life isn't offering you anything but failure and hardship
Taste the saline rolling down your cheekbone Tell me that you're alone, tell me on the telephone Feel your heart it breaks within your chest now Try to get some rest now, Sleep's not coming easy for a while, child
life isn't what you thought it would be... it's harder and is not easy at all... nothing comes easy now and there comes a point when you realize that you're still a child and you cant handle the pressure
To me, it's about shattered dreams... having things not be what they seem to be... and being alone, even if you're with someone who seems to love you.
this is a really great song, and i totally agree with your meaning thewhitepony33...it is about shattered dreams and about being alone...its only know that my gf is gone that i really feel the meaning of this song...being heartbroken and alone sucks
yep, shattered dreams pretty much sums it up. i like the description of stars...very neato.
"feel your heart it breaks within your chest now try to get some rest now sleep's not coming easy for awhile, child"
wonderful...and afipunck84, yeah being heartbroken and alone does equal no fun
Josh wrote this song about the realtionship with his girlfriend
Caution is never cowardice
firstly, LOVE THE SONG. LOVE THE BAND. and i agree with the idea of shattered dreams. however, i think theres more than that. my personal fave lines
Wish upon a star but Do you know what stars are? Balls of fire, burning up the black space Falling from the landscape Exploding in the face of God
kind of indicate the idea of not only your dreams being shattered, but when they are shattered the world falls down around you. like everything that was beautiful is now heinously ugly. does that make sense?
i also think its about shattered dreams and something that is coming between a relationship, that is what "build my walls up...keep this kingdom free of hassle." anyone else think its about cheating? bottom line its a beautiful song!