"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.
I've been crawling
Around in the dark for a while
Sprawled out across the floor
Not collecting dust anymore
Define me a parasite,
Define my host
Trapped beneath the floor
I slowly waste away
Now I pull my frail body into the chair
And look me in the face
Oh, disappointments, so disappointing
This may be my last one
It's gonna be good and hard
It might be a touch out of key
A touch out of key
When this thing breaks
I will be you
You will be me
I'm afraid that this is really happening
When this thing breaks
I will be you
You will be me
Let's hope this is short lived and riddled with dizzy
Oh God, the noise
Is ringing in my ear
It's so unclear, so unclear
I hear them talking
But can't make out the words
Speak up, speak clear
I hear them talking
But can't make out the words
Speak up, speak clear
God, where have I been?
I'm a terrible company
With zero apologies
My God, where have I been?
Where have I been?
While I sink to the bottom
I'll sing out as it fills with water
I hope I've done enough
When this thing breaks
I will be you
You will be me
Let's hope this is short lived and riddled with dizzy
When this thing breaks
I will be you
You will be me
I'm afraid that this is really happening
I'm worn out
I'm worn thin
I will never break through
I'm worn out (Where have I been?)
I'm worn thin (Where have I been?)
I will never break through (Where have I been?)
Let me out
Let me out
Let me out
Around in the dark for a while
Sprawled out across the floor
Not collecting dust anymore
Define me a parasite,
Define my host
Trapped beneath the floor
I slowly waste away
Now I pull my frail body into the chair
And look me in the face
Oh, disappointments, so disappointing
This may be my last one
It's gonna be good and hard
It might be a touch out of key
A touch out of key
When this thing breaks
I will be you
You will be me
I'm afraid that this is really happening
When this thing breaks
I will be you
You will be me
Let's hope this is short lived and riddled with dizzy
Oh God, the noise
Is ringing in my ear
It's so unclear, so unclear
I hear them talking
But can't make out the words
Speak up, speak clear
I hear them talking
But can't make out the words
Speak up, speak clear
God, where have I been?
I'm a terrible company
With zero apologies
My God, where have I been?
Where have I been?
While I sink to the bottom
I'll sing out as it fills with water
I hope I've done enough
When this thing breaks
I will be you
You will be me
Let's hope this is short lived and riddled with dizzy
When this thing breaks
I will be you
You will be me
I'm afraid that this is really happening
I'm worn out
I'm worn thin
I will never break through
I'm worn out (Where have I been?)
I'm worn thin (Where have I been?)
I will never break through (Where have I been?)
Let me out
Let me out
Let me out
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
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”
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.
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.
From a Christian stand point: The chorus "when this thing breaks, I will be you you will be me" refers to the true Christian process of breaking the flesh or sin nature and aim to be Christ like (I will be you, you will be me)
i know spencer was addicted to cocaine at one point this song is probably about him and his addiction and how he feels worthless because of it.
haha. cant believe there arent any posts. its actually; "riddled with DISEASE". and;; "i pray that this is really happening".
well, to me, its meaning is really... uncomprehending.
obviously its about someone who's disappointed in themselves, for they have committed a sin. and, i think its eating away at his conscience, until he finally commits suicide.
he keeps saying how, he doesn't know who he is anymore when he says;; "where have i been?"
and, people are starting to notice that, he's changed & stuff, i think its maybe about someone with an addiction. [drugs, alcohol]
then at the end he says;; "im worn out, im worn thin, i'll never break through"
meaning, theres no more hope anymore. and stuff :)
i think thats what it means. idk. i might be wayyyy off. but, whatevs.
amazing song. underoath is friggin amazing. they rule!
I think this song is about an addiction that the person is stuck with (ie,self injury, drugs, alcohol) and he finds a person that seems to have a perfect life and wishes he could trade. He falls asleep and dreams about what it would be like to be the person. He wakes up and sees everything starting to slip away from him. Being the person he is, he wants to give up and commit suicide. He asks god for forgiveness and tries to change. I think the album is a story of one person working to change their life. This is just my point of view on the song. Underoath's music appeals to many types of people. Their newer work is beautiful. I just typed this on a blackberry. My thumbs realllyyy hurt right now.
I think this song is about an addiction that the person is stuck with (ie,self injury, drugs, alcohol) and he finds a person that seems to have a perfect life and wishes he could trade. He falls asleep and dreams about what it would be like to be the person. He wakes up and sees everything starting to slip away from him. Being the person he is, he wants to give up and commit suicide. He asks god for forgiveness and tries to change. I think the album is a story of one person working to change their life. This is just my point of view on the song. Underoath's music appeals to many types of people. Their newer work is beautiful. I just typed this on a blackberry. My thumbs realllyyy hurt right now.
the songs actually about spencer. spencer had a drug addiction during define the great line and this is all about him getting over it and how hard it was for him
i meant to say;; uncomprehensive! lol.
firefox is gay.
thank you for the help on the lyrics though there disease part sounds alot like dizzy, disease makes more sense.
I think its about becoming a better person. you want to stop "collecting dust" and make something better out of yourself. the part where it starts with "god where have i been" i think it shows how your realizing you want to be better.
either way this song is very very VERY amazing and i cannot stop listening to it
thank you for the help on the lyrics though there disease part sounds alot like dizzy, disease makes more sense.
I think its about becoming a better person. you want to stop "collecting dust" and make something better out of yourself. the part where it starts with "god where have i been" i think it shows how your realizing you want to be better.
either way this song is very very VERY amazing and i cannot stop listening to it
This song reminds me of drugs. I do drugs and it feels a lot like the change that they do to yew. Perhaps it's driven them to suicide by the looks of it.
"This may be my last one. It’s gonna be good and hard. It might be a touch out of key. (a touch out of key)" -Basically this'll be the last time i do it and i'm gonna make it count. Good and hard hitting. As for the touch out of key thing, i link it to him being too emotionally wrecked for it to work like every other time he's done drugs.
"When this thing breaks. I will be you You will be me. " -Judging by the split vocals i'd say this is referring to what drugs do to yew. They split yew, i still have thoughts (especially provoked by this song) Where i feel like my old self pitches in my thoughts sometimes. Basically i think it's saying "when this addiction breaks, i will be yew (the old self) and yew will be me (again referring to his old self).
God, where have I been. I’m terrible company. With zero apologies. My God where have I been? Where have I been?
I’m worn out. I’m worn thin. I will never break through. I'm worn out (Where have I been) I'm worn thin (Where have I been) I will never break through. (Where have I been) Let me out. Let me out. Let me out. -He can't break the addiction, so he gets rid of his life.
That's what this song means to me, if anyone can find a more accurate prediction fair enough. But that's what the song means to me, i don't care what message underoath tried to portray. This is my meaning and i know it well. It makes sense. Would like to hear some other views though =]
this makes a lot of sense. <br /> spencer has an addiction and everything you say makes the lyrics fall into place for my understanding.<br /> but i don't think that "I'm worn out, I'm worn thin, I will never break through. Let me out" could have that meaning because in their Metal Hammer interview he said he uses writing songs to channel all of his emotions and problems and that it really helps him.<br /> <br /> just a thought...=]<br />
this song kicks ass
Thanks for the lyrics!! I've been waiting for them since the song was posted.
I agree with "hitXtheXlights". It does sound like it's about drugs, but it's hard to tell, UO songs can really show multiple meanins.
Does anybody else get chills in the chorus part; "When this thing breaks I Will be you [and] You will be me"
So amazing can't wait for the album and for their next concert here =D =D!!
Also, on the disease/dizzy part
It sounds a little like addiction and makes a lot of sense... only of the "a" in addiction was said insanely fast ahahaha
Just a guess. xD