"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.
It's just a piece of paper,
It says, "In God We Trust"
A little sure felt good
But a lot was not enough
And everybody loved me when I was on a roll
And I thought I had everything
When I held the gold
But you're not my god
And you're not my friend
You're not the one
That I will walk with in the end
You're not the truth
You're a temporary shot
You ruin people's lives
And you don't give a second thought
You're not my god
Little white lies on a mirror
Cut neatly in a roll
Medicine that kept me from lookin' in my soul
I thought you were the answer
To all of my despair
And you almost had me six feet down
But I'm still breathin' air
But you're not my god
And you're not my friend
You're not the one
That I will walk with in the end
You're not the truth
You're a temporary shot
You ruin people's lives
And you don't give a second thought
You're not my god
From the cradle to the grave
Temptations all around
But no matter how good the fix
It's gonna take you down
Now some call it a weakness
Some call it a sin
But it's all the same behind each game
I see your evil grin
But you're not my god
And you're not my friend
You're not the one
That I will walk with in the end
You're not the truth
You're a temporary shot
You ruin people's lives
And you don't give a second thought
But you're not my god
And you're not my friend
You're not the one
That I will walk with in the end
You're not the truth
You're a temporary shot
You ruin people's lives
And you don't give a second thought
You're not my god
You're not my god
Oh oh oh you're not my god
You're not my god
Not my god
Not my god
You're not, you're not, you're not my god
No you're not
It says, "In God We Trust"
A little sure felt good
But a lot was not enough
And everybody loved me when I was on a roll
And I thought I had everything
When I held the gold
But you're not my god
And you're not my friend
You're not the one
That I will walk with in the end
You're not the truth
You're a temporary shot
You ruin people's lives
And you don't give a second thought
You're not my god
Little white lies on a mirror
Cut neatly in a roll
Medicine that kept me from lookin' in my soul
I thought you were the answer
To all of my despair
And you almost had me six feet down
But I'm still breathin' air
But you're not my god
And you're not my friend
You're not the one
That I will walk with in the end
You're not the truth
You're a temporary shot
You ruin people's lives
And you don't give a second thought
You're not my god
From the cradle to the grave
Temptations all around
But no matter how good the fix
It's gonna take you down
Now some call it a weakness
Some call it a sin
But it's all the same behind each game
I see your evil grin
But you're not my god
And you're not my friend
You're not the one
That I will walk with in the end
You're not the truth
You're a temporary shot
You ruin people's lives
And you don't give a second thought
But you're not my god
And you're not my friend
You're not the one
That I will walk with in the end
You're not the truth
You're a temporary shot
You ruin people's lives
And you don't give a second thought
You're not my god
You're not my god
Oh oh oh you're not my god
You're not my god
Not my god
Not my god
You're not, you're not, you're not my god
No you're not
Lyrics submitted by Manderzterz
You're Not My God Lyrics as written by Paul Jefferson Keith Lionel Urban
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Royalty Network
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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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.
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This song talks about money and drugs but it’s not about either of them. It’s about being so lost that he feels that God doesn’t care about him and all God does it hurt people. This is why the title of this song is “your not my God.” I know I’m not the only person that has felt the way he did. The feeling that gods not there for you and questioning why he’s letting all this bad stuff happen to you but in the end, God is always there and he’ll never leave.
@Hunter1134 I just realized after I submitted this that he’s is saying that the drugs and alcohol are not his God. Lol
This is about money I think, and how he won't let it control him or dictate him. I'm surprised no one's commented on it, my girlfriend and I were talking about what it meant last night and she suggested it, I don't know why I didn't think of it :P
I'm pretty sure it's talking about his drug use, that's why it says little white lines on a mirror, and medicine that kept me looking in my soul, because he used to use cocaine... poor thing! But it may also be about money too. Either way Keith is an amazing song writer , singer , and musician and GORGEOUS!
He is in rehab now (or just got out of it), so I guess this song means a lot to him.
I think this song is about money, because money is "a piece of paper" that says "In God We Trust". It could be about drugs too though. Maybe it's about both.
My favorite off Golden Road... Keith wrote this about his drug addiction
so good
I'm pretty sure that this is about addiction to Cocaine and overcoming that addiction. Hence, the lines 'Little white lines on a mirror Cut neatly in a row' He's doing lines of coke. But the reference to the dollar bill in the first line is both a reference to the cost of the drugs and the fact that often a rolled up note is used to snort the lines. but that's just my 2 cents
This song could very easily be about meth too. Crankk.
This song is really reflecting Keith's personal life. When he first moved from Australia to Nashville, he was an outcast. Nashville liked their country music good, old and original, so when they heard Keith's Rock and Roll tainted music, they rejected it. Because of this, Keith had very little money for the first 6 years he was in America. He even had to mow lawns as a side job. So when it says; A little sure felt good, But a lot was not enough, he is talking about when he finally made an impression on Nashville and started making some decent money.
In the second verse, he is going back to his years of failure. Since his family was thousands of miles away in Australia and he had no friends in Nashville, he turned to coke and alcohol to get through his hard times. When it says; Little white lies on a mirror Cut neatly in a roll Medicine that kept me from lookin' in my soul I thought you were the answer To all of my despair And you almost had me six feet down But I'm still breathin' air
He is talking about how his addiction got serious and he almost died, but he got help from rehab. So the whole point of the song is that money and drugs are not his God, not who he is going to turn to, because he tried once, and it almost killed him.
But it's all the same behind each game I see your evil grin, means that his addictions may have at first seemed to help but in the end its all bad.
I hope this helps!