"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.
They’re turning away from me
Backstabbing places they roam
My friends are just neighbors
That steal from me when I’m not home
I am so damn trusting I do not see their malice
In this blackened wonderland I am the darkened Alice
Sometimes I can’t fathom why everyone’s so two faced
So I’ll just backstab them back to get them back in their place
All my friends are enemies
And they just turn their backs to my face, their actions biting me
And all my friends are enemies
So I’m always on my own
I’m the ball, they’re batters
They’re climbing social ladders
I’m left at the bottom
On my goodness they’re fatter
Sometimes I remember the days when friends were loyal
Instead they backstab me- I’m falling down so royally
Always on my own
Backstabbing places they roam
My friends are just neighbors
That steal from me when I’m not home
I am so damn trusting I do not see their malice
In this blackened wonderland I am the darkened Alice
Sometimes I can’t fathom why everyone’s so two faced
So I’ll just backstab them back to get them back in their place
All my friends are enemies
And they just turn their backs to my face, their actions biting me
And all my friends are enemies
So I’m always on my own
I’m the ball, they’re batters
They’re climbing social ladders
I’m left at the bottom
On my goodness they’re fatter
Sometimes I remember the days when friends were loyal
Instead they backstab me- I’m falling down so royally
Always on my own
Lyrics submitted by ScreamingInfidelity
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
"In this blackened wonderland I am the darkened Alice" favorite line
there's another Say Anything? ive never heard of any of these songs... so im assuming this isnt the Say Anything from Michigan... oh well, theyre good too!
...in this blackened wonderland.... just an amazing lyricist... stoked for their new album in september
i love say anything, specially this song.
i love say anything, specially this song.
i hate friends
i love this song.. I LOVE THIS BAND!!!!!! they just got signed with doghouse.. its a dream come true!! yea.. all my friends left me.. all i have now is my boyfriend. FRIENDS DEFINATELY SUCK..
dude this song rocks and it's true
yeah doghouse is mad rad. someone needs to add the 30 something new songs though because baseball was a good album, yeah, but the new songs are 100 times better musically & lyrically. like belt & transylvanian.. wow amazing songs.
I love this song!!! This band rocks. Especially the vocalist voice!!! Ah Galera!!! Vale a pena ouvi-los!!! Falouusss!