"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.
Allie woke up 8AM
Graduation day.
Got into a car,
And crashed along the way.
When we arrived late to the wake,
Stole the urn while they
Looked away,
And drove to the beach
'Cause I knew you'd want it
That way.
And you were standing
On the hood of the car
Singing out loud
When the sun came up.
And I know I wasn't right,
But it felt so good.
And your mother didn't mind,
Like I thought she would.
And that REM song was playing
In my mind.
And three and a half minutes
Felt like a lifetime
It felt like a lifetime
And you move like water
I could drown in you.
And I fell so deep once,
Till you pulled me through
You would tell me
"No one is allowed to be so proud
They never reach out
When they're giving up."
And I know I wasn't right,
But it felt so good.
And your mother didn't mind,
Like I thought she would.
And that REM song was playing
In my mind.
And three and a half minutes
Felt like a lifetime
Are you sitting in the lights?
Or combing your hair again,
And talking in rhymes?
Are you sitting in the lights?
When I got home, heard the phone,
Your parents had arrived.
And your dad set his jaw
Your mom just smiled and sighed.
But they left soon
And I went to my room.
Played that disc that you'd given me,
And I shut my eyes
Swear I could hear the sea.
When we were standing
On the hood of your car
Singing out loud when the sun came up.
And I know I wasn't right,
But it felt so good.
And your mother didn't mind,
Like I thought she would.
And that REM song was playing
In my mind.
And three and a half minutes,
Three and a half minutes,
Felt like a lifetime.
Graduation day.
Got into a car,
And crashed along the way.
When we arrived late to the wake,
Stole the urn while they
Looked away,
And drove to the beach
'Cause I knew you'd want it
That way.
And you were standing
On the hood of the car
Singing out loud
When the sun came up.
And I know I wasn't right,
But it felt so good.
And your mother didn't mind,
Like I thought she would.
And that REM song was playing
In my mind.
And three and a half minutes
Felt like a lifetime
It felt like a lifetime
And you move like water
I could drown in you.
And I fell so deep once,
Till you pulled me through
You would tell me
"No one is allowed to be so proud
They never reach out
When they're giving up."
And I know I wasn't right,
But it felt so good.
And your mother didn't mind,
Like I thought she would.
And that REM song was playing
In my mind.
And three and a half minutes
Felt like a lifetime
Are you sitting in the lights?
Or combing your hair again,
And talking in rhymes?
Are you sitting in the lights?
When I got home, heard the phone,
Your parents had arrived.
And your dad set his jaw
Your mom just smiled and sighed.
But they left soon
And I went to my room.
Played that disc that you'd given me,
And I shut my eyes
Swear I could hear the sea.
When we were standing
On the hood of your car
Singing out loud when the sun came up.
And I know I wasn't right,
But it felt so good.
And your mother didn't mind,
Like I thought she would.
And that REM song was playing
In my mind.
And three and a half minutes,
Three and a half minutes,
Felt like a lifetime.
Lyrics submitted by Xine
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Fast Car
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Plastic Bag
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I absolutly love this song, Better than Ezra is one of my favorite bands and I've been seeing them here in Baton Rouge forever. In my opinion, this song is about being forced to grow up too fast and two friends rebelling from the norm. When a close friend dies people are often forced to act solemn and grieve, but these two people go out to celebrate the life of their friend. They are refusing to grow up, and that's what makes this song.
ok, it's time for an Ezralite to set the record straight. We've been discussing this song for about 4 years now on the BTE message borads, so here is a combination to answer your questions. 1.) The REM song IS "Talk about the passion." Kevin obsessed over REM, and so would his group of friends in HS. it is also that old of a song. Kevin started the band in college in 1989, so a song like "everybody hurts" would be too new. Plus it is 3:23. 2.) the cast of characters includes - Allie; Parents; KEvin and one or two other friends (we arrived late to the wake).
3.) Allie is not the main focus of the song. This song was written around 10 years after this happened. It is a way for Kevin to cope with the loss and to remember her. It was a hard subject till this song came out and is bing toated as the new single because it is such an important and honest homage to allie and the times around her death.
4.)get the new BTE CD on April 12th to hear the new version of this song. it is amazing even compared to the "closer" version. Better Than Ezra - "Before The Robots" April 12th ok hope that helps.
if you like better than ezra you gotta love this songs. my favorite from their new cd 'closer'. the title track is great as well.
does anyone know what this song is about, it confuses me...
i think it's pretty much telling a story. it's fairly detailed and self-explainatory. sad song i must say
basically about a friend of theirs died and they are tring to preserve their memory and make their soul as happy as possible....
beautifully written song...
yes, this is most definitely a beautiful song. I cried quite hard the first time I heard it, and still do sometimes. Well, it's obvious what this song is about, so I won't go into that, heh heh. And yes, I realize that it's written around a character named Allie which is most commenly a female name, but do you guys think he's singing about a girl or a guy? I always liked to think it was a guy, so at least one great song would be non-sexual. But, really, whaddya think?
i think this song is about a girl named allie, to answer your question Black. But i don't think the narrator of the song and allie had a sexual relationship. To me it seems like they had grown up together and were very close friends.
i LOVE this song so much it's such a sad song and i don't know anyone who doesn't like it once they've heard it...it's so beautiful and so sad...it makes me think of dying though, since the girl (or guy) allie dies...but it's still so beautiful