"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.
And now I know
Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say
I thought I knew
But now I know that rose trees never grow
In New York City
Until you've seen this trash can dream come true
You stand at the edge while people run you through
And I thank the Lord
There's people out there like you
I thank the Lord there's people out there like you
While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky
But they can't and that is why
They know not if it's dark outside or light
This Broadway's got
It's got a lot of songs to sing
If I knew the tunes I might join in
I'll go my way alone
Grow my own, my own seeds shall be sown, in New York City
Subway's no way for a good man to go down
Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown
And I thank the Lord for the people I have found
I thank the Lord for the people I have found
While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky
But they can't and that is why
They know not if it's dark outside or light
And now I know
Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say
I thought I knew
But now I know that rose trees never grow
In New York City
Subway's no way for a good man to go down
Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown
And I thank the Lord for the people I have found
I thank the Lord for the people I have found
While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky
But they can't and that is why
They know not if it's dark outside or light
They know not if it's dark outside or light
Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say
I thought I knew
But now I know that rose trees never grow
In New York City
Until you've seen this trash can dream come true
You stand at the edge while people run you through
And I thank the Lord
There's people out there like you
I thank the Lord there's people out there like you
While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky
But they can't and that is why
They know not if it's dark outside or light
This Broadway's got
It's got a lot of songs to sing
If I knew the tunes I might join in
I'll go my way alone
Grow my own, my own seeds shall be sown, in New York City
Subway's no way for a good man to go down
Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown
And I thank the Lord for the people I have found
I thank the Lord for the people I have found
While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky
But they can't and that is why
They know not if it's dark outside or light
And now I know
Spanish Harlem are not just pretty words to say
I thought I knew
But now I know that rose trees never grow
In New York City
Subway's no way for a good man to go down
Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown
And I thank the Lord for the people I have found
I thank the Lord for the people I have found
While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky
But they can't and that is why
They know not if it's dark outside or light
They know not if it's dark outside or light
Lyrics submitted by x_nikole_x, edited by kjtvc2012, martin1109
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters Lyrics as written by Elton John Bernie Taupin
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think this a song of realization, specifically the brutal reality of New York or any major city. The realization of the fact that people are overrun by the power of money and selfishness. I feel that the rose trees are symbolic for the growing of relationships, which would explain "I thank they Lord there's people out there like you" showing the appreciation for whomever he speaks of. I think the chorus shows what these people are missing, "turn around and say good morning to the night" shows how these people are letting life pass them by, and "for unless they see the sky, but they can't and that is why, they know not if it's dark outside or light" shows that they don't even know what they're missing. And the major point of what they are missing is the rose trees, friends, lovers, whatever Taupin means by the rose trees. Then finally the last verse just solidifies everything by talking about the rich man riding the subway and the hobo being left behind, shows the lack of compassion these mona lisas and mad hatters have. But the people (or rose trees) that "I have found" are not like that, and "I thank the Lord." Little lengthy, but I wanted to get everything across.
This could be Eltons most underrated song he has ever written. It is just beautyful
I think this song is about realizing that life isn't always beautiful, but that the people who enter you life (who you found) are.
The unfriendliness of the city is brutal, but defining yourself in it--that's beautiful.
I especially like the line "You stand at the edge and people run you through." It sums up the hectic movement of people in any big city, expecially New York. No one has time for anyone else because they are all going about their own business. People do literally pass through you on a busy city street!
The first verse to me referrs to The Song "Spanish Harlem" - "There is a rose in Spanish Harlem". It's about how his views of New York were shaped by songs, versus reality. There are no Rose Tree in Spanish Harlem.
I think this song is about how despite the fact that all your fantasies and visions of a place (new york in this case) can be wrong, the world is still a magical place to be in its own way.
Absolutely one of his best!
It seems to me the Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters are the pretty faces and shallow eccentric people born to better fortune. To them life is a party (good morning to the night) and they really can't relate to the average person (...dont know if it's dark outside or light...").
Bernie is saying that they have entered this world (...trash can dreams come true...). The people they encounter can't see the needs (sky) in life and have the big dreams of making their own way. They are too into their own privelege and enjoying it and not caring about people killed in the subway or the hobo who drowns.
IMHO
Also, the Spanish Harlem and Rose Tree lyrics in this song is more than likely a reference to the song "Spanish Harlem" by Ben E. King and also song by Aretha Franklin
i really like the line "I'll go my way alone Grow my own, my own seeds shall be sown in New York City" ... earlier he talks about how rose trees don't grow there, so instead he's doing his own thing and trying to improve the world in his own way. but does ne1 know what hes talking about with the 'mona lisas and mad hatters sons of bankers sons of lawyers" part?