"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.
Les boys do cabaret
Les boys are glad to be gay
They're not afraid now
Disco bar in Germany
Les boys are glad to be
Upon parade now
Les boys got leather straps
Les boys got ss caps
But they got no gun now
Get dressed up get a little risque
Got to do a little s & m these days
It's all in fun now
Les boys come on again
For the high class whores
And the businessmen
Who drive in their Mercedes Benz
To a disco bar in old munchen
They get the jokes that the d.j. makes
They get nervous and they make mistakes
They're bad for business
Some tourist take a photograph
Les boys don't get one laugh
He says they're useless
Late at night when they're gone away
Les boys dream of jean genet
High heel shoes and a black beret
And the posters on the wall that say
Les boys do cabaret
Les boys are glad to be gay
Les boys are glad to be gay
They're not afraid now
Disco bar in Germany
Les boys are glad to be
Upon parade now
Les boys got leather straps
Les boys got ss caps
But they got no gun now
Get dressed up get a little risque
Got to do a little s & m these days
It's all in fun now
Les boys come on again
For the high class whores
And the businessmen
Who drive in their Mercedes Benz
To a disco bar in old munchen
They get the jokes that the d.j. makes
They get nervous and they make mistakes
They're bad for business
Some tourist take a photograph
Les boys don't get one laugh
He says they're useless
Late at night when they're gone away
Les boys dream of jean genet
High heel shoes and a black beret
And the posters on the wall that say
Les boys do cabaret
Les boys are glad to be gay
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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
As explained by mark knopfler in an interview, he and the band were looking for somewhere to get food after one of there shows whilst in Germany. A hotel worker from where they were staying directed them up to an event at there club(disco) bar.
This event happened to be a cabaret, and this song simply is marks story regarding these events!
In no way is this song offensive, he is telling you that they are proud. Also this was the late 70's so things were slightly different back then which is why they may have found it amusing.
Whilst not one of there better songs, I think its quite comical and catchy with some nice guitar playing from the man himself.
This song was written after the Straits had performed at a club in Germany, and they'd seen this act. It's a simple bit of reporting on Knopfler's part - he used to be a journalist. It's amusing, but as usual with Knopfler, very perceptive, and slightly melancholy. It's certainly not one of my favourites, but I wouldn't call it stupid!
I dońt believe the cabaret story. I don't but it. I'm a Dire Straits fan and I'm gay. Let's face it: Les Boys is a song about gays, not only german, all gays. It's a bit of a harsh comment, but true. As usual it's a vignette about life, with a bit of caustic humor. The fact that it sounds a bit silly is what makes it so good. It enhances the ridiculous side of this whole gay behavior. The lyrics point out the contradictions of this lifestyle, how artificial, and childish it can be, the bars, the S&M thing, the leather scene, the drag queens. It criticizes with the usual humor from this very intelligent man. I love the song and totally agree with it. I don't consider it homophobic af all. It is more of a wink. A warning with tenderness. If you are queer, you don't have to act like one. Act like the human being you are. Don' t get lost in this bad theater. That´s what it is. Under the SS regime, the gays were gassed. To put it in Germany was to show how risqué to wear the SS cap. Or for a man to dress like a woman . Or dress like a biker, or loose your life pumping iron to look like one. How futile! As usual, a song to make you think a bit. A sort of "where do you think you're going" with that? Great song.
@guy-paul10
First line I meant: I don't buy it
@guy-paul10 that does not mean the German disco story isn't true. <br /> <br /> When this song came out, in NZ anyway, homosexuality had been illegal a few years before. We took it to mean gay people could be more open as well as a wry comment about how some of those opposed to homosexuality were gay, particularly the wide spread belief the SA leadership was gay and the Nazi party was founded in a Munich gay bar. Beliefs still used to try to discredit gay people in the 70s.<br /> <br /> At the time, popular images of gay people was that they were effete limp wristed girlie boys. Then you had the village people, and the whole macho gay thing happening. <br /> <br /> It was a time that saw the start of questioning male sexuality in response to the women's movement and the gay rights movement in the 70s. A couple of years later, Joe Jackson put out real men.<br /> <br /> See the nice boys, dancing in pairs<br /> Golden earring golden tan<br /> Blow-wave in the hair<br /> Sure they're all straight, straight as a line<br /> All the gays are macho<br /> Can't you see their leather shine<br /> <br /> Being a teenager in the 70s and 80s meant having to examine what it was to be male our female, gay or straight. People today are lucky we suited all that out and they don't need to worry about it.
@guy-paul10 some of the business men in the seventies ... if theyd been 18 in 1940 they'd only be 58 in 1980. Maybe they brought their own ss caps. German people at that time would still apologize for the war. And the bader meinhof gang claimed any German over 40 was guilty.<br /> <br /> <br /> Things looked a lot different then. The battle of Britain was more recent to them when this song was released than the songs release is to us today.
@guy-paul10 homosexuality wasn't legal in NZ until the mid 80s. Still an issue at the 1990 election.
If you are offended by this you need to get a life......It is lighthearted commentary on the German club scene. The "Gay" is meant not in the homosexual way.....more in the literal happy way. They are playing a part he finds amusing in this world of crazy relationships, nothing more. The whole album is about relationships between people.
Remove the big chip from your shoulder guymontag
No chip here, but the song is most likely about the gay lifestyle of yesteryear. You must know who Jean Genet is and his relation to this song; he (a famous novelist) was discharged from the military after having been caught having sex with a man. For me the song is about allowing gay men to be who they are...to express themselves freely, much the way Jean Genet (a novelist) expressed himself through words in his novels. The tourist in the lyrics wants to enjoy the men (he takes photos), yet he laughs at them. During the time of caberet, I'm quite sure fear and hatred of gays was quite substantial. Dreaming of Jean allows the men to escape the pitfalls of being gay...there's a comradery (Can't spell the word:) for someone understands them.
But I don't think he is being vicious. Cabaret theater is very different whether it is gay or not. The acts mingle with the guests who are eating and drinking.<br /> <br /> Oh it is definitely about the gay scene in Germany. Like you said they are proud to be homosexual and no longer hide it, but I think Knopfler is trying to say at any depth is that they have relegated themselves to an act, which may be less honorable than Jean Genet who led let's say an interesting life. They are letting themselves be treated like objects or objectified. Maybe not what they should be looking for?<br /> <br /> But Knopfler does this with precision in the fact that he recognizes what they want but they are going about it backwards. But I think he is getting a kick out of it at the same time, let's say the debauchery or hedonism of it.<br /> <br /> Peace
This song is the "boil on the backside" of what up until then was an excellent album. Silly.
I think yes, he uses gay in the "homosexual" sense, but I don't see where he's making fun of them. I think it's like a lighthearted pro gay song. I might be wrong, but I don't see how.
Seems to me a lot of people don't get what he sings about, the true meaning, but it's coming more apparent away from mainstream media. Ss caps, but no gun now..? Can think of a few stand out families from Germany ha
I think it\'s obvious that this song is about gay guys in a bar. Whether it was at a real cabaret, or fictional, it\'s pretty straight (no pun intended) forward. Nothing offensive or mysterious about it at all.
Whether the song is pro or anti gay is completely irrelevant, it just is, the people in it, simply are. Why does every observation need to be for or against. Nice little song, shares an experience we may not all get to share, which, obviously left some kind of impression.
@Dayvid01 "why does every observation need to be for or against" idk man, maybe because being anti-gay is a crime? Lol, it's just a song yea, but of course people will wonder about it. When a straight guy from England goes out of his way to sing about gay dudes from Germany, we might as well wonder if he's supportive of gay people or not.
This has to be the stupidest song Knopfler ever wrote. I don't know what he was thinking.