"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.
Dawning day.
Mothers would wake and feed their children.
Our brothers would awake to mend their nets and sails.
They had the light of a boundless day dawning.
And a burning, living, driving will.
Meanwhile the old men sit on the top of a hill
wading through your legislation.
Wading trudging through your debate
about whether or not
to send
another hundred thousand young men and women
off
into the hurricane.
No taxation without representation.
We will not pay a toll in blood
The old men were sitting on top of the hill
while young girls
ushered playful ghosts by the creek.
Singing, they are following
golden fish into the marsh's reeds.
The old men sit on top of the hill
of 58,000.
Walking.
Walking across the plain,
I am descending.
Six feet underground,
you send me here.
Every name,
every name,
upon this wall.
You send me here,
six feet under.
Why don't you take a short walk?
Walk out of your oval office.
Walk out of the state house.
Take a short walk across the lawn
and descend to six feet under
and read those names.
You're debating,
you’re still debating whether or not to send me here.
You're debating, you're debating,
whether or not to send more over there.
Six feet under,
you really do carry my weight.
Bats grazing in the sky
in the night sky above our houses.
Lightning bugs rising higher and higher.
As the sun leaves behind,
this valley,
this waking valley song…
a memorial.
Six feet to be under
you really did carry my weight.
The earth, I confess, is not me
but you in our unhappy state.
And you're still debating,
debating,
debating…
What is this?
A voice in his head.
A voice comes quick and it fades on.
It is this waking valley song.
Archaic and bent with time.
It is this memory.
It is this memory.
Mothers would wake and feed their children.
Our brothers would awake to mend their nets and sails.
They had the light of a boundless day dawning.
And a burning, living, driving will.
Meanwhile the old men sit on the top of a hill
wading through your legislation.
Wading trudging through your debate
about whether or not
to send
another hundred thousand young men and women
off
into the hurricane.
No taxation without representation.
We will not pay a toll in blood
The old men were sitting on top of the hill
while young girls
ushered playful ghosts by the creek.
Singing, they are following
golden fish into the marsh's reeds.
The old men sit on top of the hill
of 58,000.
Walking.
Walking across the plain,
I am descending.
Six feet underground,
you send me here.
Every name,
every name,
upon this wall.
You send me here,
six feet under.
Why don't you take a short walk?
Walk out of your oval office.
Walk out of the state house.
Take a short walk across the lawn
and descend to six feet under
and read those names.
You're debating,
you’re still debating whether or not to send me here.
You're debating, you're debating,
whether or not to send more over there.
Six feet under,
you really do carry my weight.
Bats grazing in the sky
in the night sky above our houses.
Lightning bugs rising higher and higher.
As the sun leaves behind,
this valley,
this waking valley song…
a memorial.
Six feet to be under
you really did carry my weight.
The earth, I confess, is not me
but you in our unhappy state.
And you're still debating,
debating,
debating…
What is this?
A voice in his head.
A voice comes quick and it fades on.
It is this waking valley song.
Archaic and bent with time.
It is this memory.
It is this memory.
Lyrics submitted by omae_, edited by kete, Ouroboros115
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
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
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/
It's the Vietnam Memorial.
possibly one of the greatest anti-war punk songs.
i remember 1991 being a very intense year with the build up to what was known as desert storm. ie. iraq war #1 and this song originated at that time.we went to many many protest in DC at that time,and we even organized and performed one in annapolis( drums included) , the police followed us until we dispersed. although the war-drums were banging with fervor, the country had not taken the full force step toward fascism it has turned into today. although i have never seen the vietnam memorial up-close, their have been times,that i have seen it,and it has moved me to tears because it is so powerful. marcus ( x-moss icon member)
This song is about the Vietnam Memorial in DC (near the area where the band formed in MD). The 58,000 names are the names on the wall that you read as you descend below ground level. The memorial is part of the Mall, a "short walk across the lawn" from the White House and US Capitol. He is asking people in power to realize the consequences for the soldiers they are sending into war, and on the native populations in the "waking valleys" that get destroyed in their geo-political game.
by ear, again. any corrections, let me know.
WARNING long winded editorial unlike most 'emo' bands, and part of what made moss icon so great and hard to define by this generic term, is that as time went on, instead of getting more introspectively personal and obtuse, they widened their scope musically and lyrically to move from suburban middle-class 'emo' cliche issues like alienation, hating your parents and/or friends, feeling bad after a breakup, etc. to issues of real substance. touching on things like the environment, native peoples, dare i say even "spirituality," etc. without going the way of laughable new age-ism or the even-then already worn out punk rock standard musical styles. all this with an amazing lyricism... look at sioux day, cornflower blue, lyburnum wits end, memorial, etc. for examples of this. instead of the accusatory 'you' in most emo/punk/alternative music that attempts to be revolutionary or political, the voice in their later songs changed entirely to narrative, or putting the 'you' into a wholly different context.
thats very true, well said omae.
all the of the older stuff was a lot more refined, and i like it a lot more.
what is this? a voice in his head a voice comes quick and it fades on it is this waking valley song archaic and bent with time is this memory it is this memory.
is what i think he says. i love john's vocals in this song.
thanks for the correction. edited.
"older stuff was more refined" meaning 'emo' stuff in general? i'd definitely agree. i have the feeling that people made music then really trying to get away from lyrical and musical cliches (which, then, in punk/hardcore, was being 'hard' and the usual suburban alienation/anger). so doing something different than that sometimes meant songs about deeper seated personal/psychological issues. sometimes it meant dealing with political issues without the heavy handed 'fuck the government' style prevalent then.
the whole 'emo' style itself has become so cliche and used up now that its come all the way back around but instead applied to the same corny issues that standard pop songs address... girlfriends, breakups, high school romance and heartbreaks. a sad inversion.
in the end, the music needs to be more than something for skinny emo kids to lie in bed at night and cry over in carefully chosen ipod playlists.
enough bs out of me.
definitely antiwar. and in the best way too. I love the line 'six feet under you really do carry my weight'