"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 woke up today in London
As the plane was touching down
And all I could think about was Monday
Maybe I'd be back around
If this keeps me way much longer
I don't know what I would do
You got to understand it's a hard life,
That I'm going through
[Chorus]
And when the night falls around me
And I don't think I'll make it through
I'll use your light to guide the way
All I think about is you
L A is getting kind of crazy
And New York is getting kind of cold
I keep my head from getting lazy
I just can't wait to get back home
And all these days I spend away
I'll make up for this I swear
I need your love to hold me up
When it's all to much to bear
[Chorus]
And all these days I spend away
I'll make up for this I swear
I need your love to hold me up
When it's all to much to bear
And when the night falls around me
And I don't think I'll make it through
I'll use your light to guide the way
All I think about is you
[Chorus]
As the plane was touching down
And all I could think about was Monday
Maybe I'd be back around
If this keeps me way much longer
I don't know what I would do
You got to understand it's a hard life,
That I'm going through
[Chorus]
And when the night falls around me
And I don't think I'll make it through
I'll use your light to guide the way
All I think about is you
L A is getting kind of crazy
And New York is getting kind of cold
I keep my head from getting lazy
I just can't wait to get back home
And all these days I spend away
I'll make up for this I swear
I need your love to hold me up
When it's all to much to bear
[Chorus]
And all these days I spend away
I'll make up for this I swear
I need your love to hold me up
When it's all to much to bear
And when the night falls around me
And I don't think I'll make it through
I'll use your light to guide the way
All I think about is you
[Chorus]
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
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.
Maybe Bob Seger just makes me think of "Turn the Page," but I see a lot of similarities with this song and that one.
The feeling to me is the same. It's about being on the road and travelling and surviving, and being alone. Where you make a living and in doing so, leave your loved one behind.
I always get this imagery, of being somewhere far away in such a cold place, with the wind blowing against your hair, your hands tucked in your coat pockets, and taking a stroll and just thinking.
How this life is so much a place we don't fit in sometimes. Even if there was a way to see your family or loved ones across the globe in an instant, well I wish it wasn't fiction.
We all work so hard in this life. We all try to be someone. And it gets incredibly difficult just being here at times. How we all need that someone we can always think about, remember, and pull us through those tough times.
I hope that each and every one of you has that someone. Or if not, I hope you will.
Sometimes the sufferring involved with loneliness is merely just the fact that you don't have someone that thinks of you. That you don't have someone that is watching over you.
To be erased is the worse thing to me.
Listen to the song. He is talking about NO woman. he is expressing his relationship with god. it truly is a deep and beautiful song.
Such a great featuring Bob Seger...has a very similar theme to Here by Me. (deep love relationship that is spent being away from her because he is on the road)
I almost forgot...this is Brad's favorite song on the CD...look for it to be a single eventually. (It will likely have the same huge success has here without you....save the date...I call it now...LOL)
this is a great song. new yet sounds classic b/c Bob Seger is in it.
This song does remind me a little of "Turn the Page", because in "Turn the Page" it sounds like Bob Seger is travelling through the desert (at least it reminds me of that), while this song does the same thing.
The song also reminds me a liitle of "Like a Rock", because the beginning has a little bit of a pickup truck feeling as well
Chino69, your words ring so true. This song, to me is about a guy that has loosing someone, because he has to be gone all the time. The imagry of this song is beautiful, and it really touches ones soul. It is a reflection of what I am going through right now, and how I am loosing everything that is important, but my pride wont let me budge.
I dont want to be erased either.....
I feel your pain as well. I've had to make decisions that took me away from people in terms of distance. Simultaneously someone who I thought cared let distance be a factor in erasing my memory and all we shared. It never ceases to amaze me how people can forget all you've done for them over a single instance, especially one as distance. It's as if all those precious memories were piled on a fragile pillar of time and distance, and the moment those two faltered, the rest tumbled down like an avalanche and you were the only one trying to catch and salvage whatever you can. That's the feeling this song gives me. It's just painful to know how fast things change due to trivial ideas such as distance and time. But for those of you who do go through this but still have people who never allow such tenuous impediments intervene, you are blessed and I hope you are grateful for such. After all, at the end of trip, that's truly what matters.
this song is about his relationship with a loved one, and either they just broke up, or one has left away for quite some time.
It makes so much sense to myself... the life on the road is lonely, and I cannot describe how tough it get a times... I've seen so many bands and artist suffer under the presure they feel every single day, and how the road never seems to bring you home. The only reason one can remain sane is when they have someone they love so much, one that can be their light through the night...