"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.
Can´t you hear me calling your name, girl?
I´m standing, standing in the red, red rain
In the morning, standing in the red, red rain
Can´t you hear me? can´t you hear me calling your name, girl?
In the morning, when I´m standing in the red, red rain, girl
In the morning, I´m standing in the red, red rain
Can´t you hear me? can´t you hear me calling your name, girl?
In the morning, when I´m standing in the red, red rain, girl
You think not telling is the same as not lying, don´t you?
Then I guess not feeling is the same as not crying to you
You think not telling is the same as not lying, don´t you?
Then I guess not feeling is the same as not crying to you
In the red, in the rain, in the rain
In the red, in the red, in the rain, in the rain
In the red, in the red, in the rain, in the rain
In the red, in the red, in the rain, in the rain
If there is a lie, then there is a liar, too
And if there is a sin, then there is a sinner, too
And if there is a lie, then there is a liar, too
And if there is a sin, then there is a sinner, too
In the red, in the red, in the rain, in the rain
I´m in red, I´m in red, in the rain, in the rain
In the red, in the red, in the rain, in the rain
I´m in red, I´m in red, in the rain, in the rain
I´m in red, I´m in red, in the rain, in the rain
Can´t you hear me? can´t you hear me calling your name, girl?
I´m standing, standing in the red, red rain
In the morning, standing in the red, red rain
Can´t you hear me? can´t you hear me calling your name, girl?
In the morning, when I´m standing in the red, red rain, girl
In the morning, I´m standing in the red, red rain
Can´t you hear me? can´t you hear me calling your name, girl?
In the morning, when I´m standing in the red, red rain, girl
You think not telling is the same as not lying, don´t you?
Then I guess not feeling is the same as not crying to you
You think not telling is the same as not lying, don´t you?
Then I guess not feeling is the same as not crying to you
In the red, in the rain, in the rain
In the red, in the red, in the rain, in the rain
In the red, in the red, in the rain, in the rain
In the red, in the red, in the rain, in the rain
If there is a lie, then there is a liar, too
And if there is a sin, then there is a sinner, too
And if there is a lie, then there is a liar, too
And if there is a sin, then there is a sinner, too
In the red, in the red, in the rain, in the rain
I´m in red, I´m in red, in the rain, in the rain
In the red, in the red, in the rain, in the rain
I´m in red, I´m in red, in the rain, in the rain
I´m in red, I´m in red, in the rain, in the rain
Can´t you hear me? can´t you hear me calling your name, girl?
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
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."
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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
A couple of things not quite addressed as I find the first lines very innocent and then they turn sinister:
1) He kills himself bleeding to death in front of her and wants to have a perverse revenge that haunts her, even when she first wakes up "in the morning"
2) He kills her and regrets it the next day and then tries to justify her murder. But he is covered in her blood and she cannot hear him,
But possibly the blood is like others have stated from the other man.
Great song, especially during the "And if there is a lie, then there is a liar too"-part, Jacks voice just gets cooler right there.
Artbeat- this song is like a mystery for solving with clues that don't seem to connect. Your bits and pieces seem "most likely" to help connect them altogether.
There are live performance clips that sometime Jack substitutes "I'm the blood, you're the vein" in place of "in the red, in the rain" repeating it. Sort of gives another angle to the song, no? Some thoughts? Anyone?
maybe its about a guy who is driven crazy by the death of a girl he loved. and he goes to her grave in the morning while it's raining, screaming her name into the ground. The whole tune of the song is out of loop,which makes it sound like its from a deeply troubled person because of the dark overtones and the generally light sounds. the bells also add to the insanity. The red rain is either cutting himself or it symbolizes the sadness he fells, making it so painful that when he cries, it feels like a wound bleeding.
@WhitenRed Bleedin' right before the Lord? And all the words are gonna bleed from me....
Oh how I love this song... I just have to say that... I don't really have any suggestions as to what it's about... I guess it's one of those songs that a lot of people can interpret to be able a certain girl or guy... I sure can
Not "able", I mean "about" a certain guy or girl.
I love this song too, especially the bells!
I love this song too, especially the bells!
faveorite song on the new album
this song is great, it is also maybe my fav song. i think it's about someone who thinks that just saying nothing or doing nothing is just like not doing or saying the wrong thing, and he sees that and wants to show the person so it'll stop. ya... or i could be wrong (btu i think i'm right)