"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.
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Everyone can see we're together
As we walk on by
(And) and we fly just like birds of a feather
I won't tell no lie
(All) all of the people around us they say
Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record
We're giving love in a family dose
We are family (Hey, y'all)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing (sing it to me)
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Living life is fun and we've just begun
To get our share of this world's delights
(High) high hopes we have for the future
And our goal's in sight
(We) no, we don't get depressed
Here's what we call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go wrong, oh no
This is our family jewel
We are family (hey, sing it to me)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (oh, I can hear you now)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (get up, get up y'all)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family (I got all my sisters with me)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing (Get up and sing it to me)
We are family
I got all my sisters with me (we're having fun)
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Get up, get up, get up and sing it to me
Oh, I can't hear you y'all
Oh, have faith in you and the things you do
Hey hey, oh hey hey hey
Get up, get up y'all
Oh, hey hey hey
I got my sisters with me
Everybody, hey hey hey
Get up, get up and sing it to me
We're having fun
Life, life has just begun for me
Me, me and my family
Get up, get up and sing it
Sing it, sing it, sing it, sing it to me
Yeah, we're back together like birds of a feather
Get up, come on y'all
We are family (yeah, sing it to me)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (yeah)
Get up everybody and sing (get up and sing it to me)
We are family (we're having lots of fun now)
I got all my sisters with me (get up and sing it sing it to me)
We are family (yeah)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (we're family)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (I got my sisters with me)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (we're family)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
I got all my sisters and sing
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Everyone can see we're together
As we walk on by
(And) and we fly just like birds of a feather
I won't tell no lie
(All) all of the people around us they say
Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record
We're giving love in a family dose
We are family (Hey, y'all)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing (sing it to me)
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Living life is fun and we've just begun
To get our share of this world's delights
(High) high hopes we have for the future
And our goal's in sight
(We) no, we don't get depressed
Here's what we call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go wrong, oh no
This is our family jewel
We are family (hey, sing it to me)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (oh, I can hear you now)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (get up, get up y'all)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family (I got all my sisters with me)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing (Get up and sing it to me)
We are family
I got all my sisters with me (we're having fun)
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
Get up, get up, get up and sing it to me
Oh, I can't hear you y'all
Oh, have faith in you and the things you do
Hey hey, oh hey hey hey
Get up, get up y'all
Oh, hey hey hey
I got my sisters with me
Everybody, hey hey hey
Get up, get up and sing it to me
We're having fun
Life, life has just begun for me
Me, me and my family
Get up, get up and sing it
Sing it, sing it, sing it, sing it to me
Yeah, we're back together like birds of a feather
Get up, come on y'all
We are family (yeah, sing it to me)
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (yeah)
Get up everybody and sing (get up and sing it to me)
We are family (we're having lots of fun now)
I got all my sisters with me (get up and sing it sing it to me)
We are family (yeah)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (we're family)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (I got my sisters with me)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family (we're family)
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing
We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
I got all my sisters and sing
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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.
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Cute!
This is CRIMINAL...such an old song that once was a hit yet no comments??? Just disgusting. Never did like the song, though, but it's a classic...a disco hit that lit up the dance floors in the smoke-filled culbs with all the mirror balls and polyesther. To me, the song is self-explanatory...hanging out and having fun with close family as we hope for a bright future. (I'm just happy to have sent my family packing today...love is sometimes best in small doses;)
@ComeOnEileen This person doesn't even like the song and is mad there aren't enough comments to their liking. How weird. What comments are we supposed to make??
Actually, the gay community adopted this song a long time ago. We even use the word "family" to mean "gay" in conversation.