"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.
Well you win, it's your show now
So what's it gonna be
'Cause people will tune in
How many train wrecks do we need to see
Before we lose touch of
We thought this was low
It's bad getting worse so
Where did all the good people go,
I've been changing channels
I don't see them
On the TV shows
Where did all the good people go,
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
They got this and that
With a rattle of tat
Testing, one two
Man what you gonna do
Bad news, misused
Got too much to lose
Gimme some truth
Now whose side are we on
Whatever you say, turn on the boob tube
I'm in the mood to obey
So lead me astray, and by the way now
Where did all the good people go,
I've been changing channels I don't see them
On the TV shows
Where did all the good people go,
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
Sitting around feeling far away
So far away but I can feel the debris
Can you feel it
You interrupt me from a friendly conversation
To tell me how great it's all gonna be
You might notice some hesitation
It's important to you it's not important to me
But way down by the edge or your reason
Well it's beginning to show
And all I really want to know is
Where did all the good people go,
I've been changing channels
I don't see them on the T.V. shows
Where did all the good people go,
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
They got this and that
With a rattle of tat
Test down, one two
Man what you gonna do
Bad news, missed use
Gimme some truth
You got too much to lose
Now whose side are we on
But anyway, okay, whatever you say,
Wrong or resolute, I'm in the mood to obey
Station through station
Desensitizing the nation
Where did all the people go?
Going, going, gone
So what's it gonna be
'Cause people will tune in
How many train wrecks do we need to see
Before we lose touch of
We thought this was low
It's bad getting worse so
Where did all the good people go,
I've been changing channels
I don't see them
On the TV shows
Where did all the good people go,
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
They got this and that
With a rattle of tat
Testing, one two
Man what you gonna do
Bad news, misused
Got too much to lose
Gimme some truth
Now whose side are we on
Whatever you say, turn on the boob tube
I'm in the mood to obey
So lead me astray, and by the way now
Where did all the good people go,
I've been changing channels I don't see them
On the TV shows
Where did all the good people go,
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
Sitting around feeling far away
So far away but I can feel the debris
Can you feel it
You interrupt me from a friendly conversation
To tell me how great it's all gonna be
You might notice some hesitation
It's important to you it's not important to me
But way down by the edge or your reason
Well it's beginning to show
And all I really want to know is
Where did all the good people go,
I've been changing channels
I don't see them on the T.V. shows
Where did all the good people go,
We got heaps and heaps of what we sow
They got this and that
With a rattle of tat
Test down, one two
Man what you gonna do
Bad news, missed use
Gimme some truth
You got too much to lose
Now whose side are we on
But anyway, okay, whatever you say,
Wrong or resolute, I'm in the mood to obey
Station through station
Desensitizing the nation
Where did all the people go?
Going, going, gone
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
i am so glad that jack johnson uses his songs to make social commentary, someone needs to! this is one of my favorite songs on the new album. sadly, its really true how controlled we all are by various aspects of our lives, like television. people just dont think for themselves as much as they should be.
much like ted leo/pharmacists, jack makes a politically and socially charged song feel so happy-go-lucky. Love it. :)
reality t.v. sucks!
I love the way there is a build up of intensity in his questioning of 'where did the good people go?' -- this shows his building frustration towards the way society is going due to media. True lyrical genious.
This song is my highlight of the new album (lots of close seconds) - love singin' it at the top o' my lungs in the car.
It's an added bonus that this song has a social commentary - I just like it cuz' it's bloody catchy - nuf' said.
JACK IS the sheeznat! I can't believe I missed out on concert tix! ARgh!
station to station desensitizing the nation
isnt that like the tightest two lines ever with that tune jack is so frigging awesome.
where did all the good people go? what is the world coming to? people are turning into bad people who only care about themselves. i like jack johnson because he doesnt only sing about relationships like most popular singers. reality tv shows encourage that. its horrible. they make people think that whats on tv is real. most of it is script! and most everyone on those shows are back stabbers and everything else horrible. i do wonder where did all the good people go?
one of my favorite songs on the new album. & it's true.. where did all the good people go?
anyone else see a semi-relation to cookie jar.. about what we see on tv.. hmm
This song represents why Jack Johnson is the epitome of cool, and why he would rather surf and hang out at the beach then fall for the trappings of American celebrity. On top of that ,the song is so pleasant and relaxing to listen to. This guy is really such a unique talent and person and this is my favorite of his new songs.
yeah this songs about lack of decent people.... very true especially if you watch tons of reality tv....backstabbing mofos..... survivor, tar, apprentice, realworld....every single one of these so called reality tv shows display societies lack of ....decency..... i still love reality tv though lol.....
This song was actually written just after George Bush won the election. The lines "wrong or Resoulute but in the mood to obey' really reflect Jack' attitude well