"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.
Well, it’s 3 a.m. again, like it always seems to be.
Drivin' northbound, drivin' homeward, drivin' wind is drivin' me.
And it just seems so funny that I always end up here,
Walkin' outside in the storm while lookin' way up past the tree-line—it’s been
Some time.…
Give me darkness when I’m dreamin'.
Give me moonlight when I’m leavin'.
Give me shoes that weren’t made for standin'.
Give me tree-line; give me big sky; get me snow-bound; give me rain clouds.
Give me a bed time…just
Sometimes.
Now you’re talkin' in my room, but there ain’t nobody here
'Cause I’ve been drivin' like a trucker: I've been wearin' through the gears.
And trainin' like a soldier, I’ve been burnin' through this sorrow.
The only talkin' lately is that
Background radio.…
You were my friend, and I was the same.
Ridin' that hope was like catchin' some train.
Now I just walk—well, I don’t mind the rain.
I'm singin' so much softer than I did back then.
Well, the night, I think, is darker than we can really say,
And God’s been livin' in that ocean, sendin' us all the big waves.
And I wish I was a sailor so I could know just how to trust.
Maybe I could bring some grace back home to the Dryland for each of us.
Say what you say—you say it so well.
Just say you will wait, like snow on the rail.
I'm combin' that train yard for some kind of sign.
Even my own self, it just don’t seem mine.
Give me darkness when I’m dreamin'.
Give me moonlight when I’m leavin'.
Give me mustang horse and muscle—oh, I won’t be goin' gentle.
Give me slant-eye looks when I’m lyin'; give me fingers when I’m cryin'.
And I ain’t out there to cheat you; see, I killed that damn coyote in me….
Drivin' northbound, drivin' homeward, drivin' wind is drivin' me.
And it just seems so funny that I always end up here,
Walkin' outside in the storm while lookin' way up past the tree-line—it’s been
Some time.…
Give me darkness when I’m dreamin'.
Give me moonlight when I’m leavin'.
Give me shoes that weren’t made for standin'.
Give me tree-line; give me big sky; get me snow-bound; give me rain clouds.
Give me a bed time…just
Sometimes.
Now you’re talkin' in my room, but there ain’t nobody here
'Cause I’ve been drivin' like a trucker: I've been wearin' through the gears.
And trainin' like a soldier, I’ve been burnin' through this sorrow.
The only talkin' lately is that
Background radio.…
You were my friend, and I was the same.
Ridin' that hope was like catchin' some train.
Now I just walk—well, I don’t mind the rain.
I'm singin' so much softer than I did back then.
Well, the night, I think, is darker than we can really say,
And God’s been livin' in that ocean, sendin' us all the big waves.
And I wish I was a sailor so I could know just how to trust.
Maybe I could bring some grace back home to the Dryland for each of us.
Say what you say—you say it so well.
Just say you will wait, like snow on the rail.
I'm combin' that train yard for some kind of sign.
Even my own self, it just don’t seem mine.
Give me darkness when I’m dreamin'.
Give me moonlight when I’m leavin'.
Give me mustang horse and muscle—oh, I won’t be goin' gentle.
Give me slant-eye looks when I’m lyin'; give me fingers when I’m cryin'.
And I ain’t out there to cheat you; see, I killed that damn coyote in me….
Lyrics submitted by Bryceing, edited by JAlPrufrock
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
This is my Favorite song of all time! Driving/walking/biking late at night with this song is always an amazing experience. Not many songs are this simple but yet richly poetic and reflective!
Rich and reflective describe this song.
At his new CD release in May ’09 in boulder at the Fox Theater he told everyone he wrote this song while driving home to a farm that he lived at in north Boulder.
He sings the choirs so gently but the lyrics are very loud and resonating! I really like the line.
Another great line that makes me think of how life can seem:
I interpret this song as someone who has given into his sexual addiction once more. I’m going to interpret it as someone who has had a one night stand, but it can be related to pornography or even the essence of giving into temptation in general.
well it’s 3 a.m again, like it always seems to be drivin northbound, drivin homeward, drivin wind is drivin me and it just seems so funny that i always end up here, walkin outside in the storm while looking way up past the tree-line it’s been some time…
He’s been up all night with his one night stand, and it seems that he always ends up giving in to his lust. Sometimes when you (or at least me) sin, Satan tells you “you are no better than your worst moment”, “this is all who you are”, “look at all these times that you have done this before, you’ll never be able to stop” ;hence why “it always seems to be” this way. It’s “funny”, because you wouldn’t think of him as someone who struggles with this temptation; He goes to/volunteers at church, spreads the word to non-believers, and all in all is a good Godly man. The places that he is driving towards is God’s presence/ forgiveness. He is walking outside in the storm because he doesn’t belong at the house that he was at anymore, because he has done what he was there to do. He looks up to God... it’s been some time since he has given into his temptation (this is the reality and not what satan was leading him to feel earlier) and needs forgiveness.
give me darkness when i’m dreaming give me moonlight when i’m leaving give me shoes that weren’t made for standing give me tree-line, give me big sky, get me snow-bound, give me rain clouds give me a bed time…just sometimes
If he gives into his temptation, then by the time he gets home and falls asleep, the sun will start to rise. He wants it to be dark when he fall asleep, not daylight. If he leaves the party/girls house while the moon is still out/the sun hasn’t risen, then he hasn’t given into temptation. He wants to do whatever it takes to not give into temptation (Matthew 5:29-30: If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It it better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell). He’ll even buy shoes that don’t slow him to sit still, if it means that it will force him to run away from his temptations. He wants God. He would rather be in the snow/rain than be tempted by/giving into sin. He wants to make up any excuse to not sin, even if he sometimes needs to say that he has a bedtime.
now you’re talkin in my room, but there ain’t nobody here cuz i’ve been driving like a trucker, i been burnin through the gears i’ve been training like a soldier, i’ve been burnin through this sorrow, and the only talkin lately is that background radio…
He then changes his dialogue to be directed towards Satan. Satan is continuing to say the un-motivating things that he has been saying, but he isn’t hearing him out. He’s running to god, he’s putting
I accidentally hit submit, because of stupid ads, so this is the continuation of my other comment.
He’s running to God, he’s pushing through the pain of his sin/sorrow/shame/regret. The only talking that happens after his one night stand is the radio (which I think of it as a worship station, because that it what I have pre-set on my radio, is what I listen to when I do use the radio, and it furthers his throwing himself toward God’s presence) There’s no talking with the woman, because it was solely a sexual thing, and there’s no talking to anyone else about him giving in because he is ashamed.
you were my friend, and i was the same riding that hope was like catching some train well now i just walk, well i don’t mind the rain but i’ve been singing so much softer than i did back then
He had previously found and embraced the comfort in his one night stands (however short they lasted). It (giving in) was as easy as catching a train, just needed to be in the right place at the right time (and most people can recognize the patterns on when and where to be). But he just walks now/he doesn’t stay still (the shoes)/he leaves before something happens, and he doesn’t mind what some people look at as bad (going home alone/being in the rain). He is singing so much softer than when he used to embrace his sin. Either - when he used to embrace his sin/not regulate his actions, he was angry and listened to loud/violent songs, because they fit what he allowed to enter his mind, but now he listens to slower, calmer, and more peaceful music that fits his new mindset - or - he because he has been resisting his sin for so long, he doesn’t have to try as hard/scream out as loud to keep the bad thought/temptations out.
the night, i think, is darker than we can really say and god’s been living in that ocean, sending us all the big waves and i wish i was a sailor so i could know just how to trust, maybe i could bring some grace back home to the dryland for all of us
The night is not just dark because of the lack of light, but because that is when the attacks (from Lucifer) are harder to resist (because there are less people around to judge/hold you responsible/it is easier to find people that are willing to sleep with you/it is quieter; hence making the voices that persist (temptation) seem louder). God’s in the spiritual world sending us help to overcome our temptation. He wishes that he could rid himself of his body (which is what Satan speaks to us through) and just bathe in the glory of the lord without having to worry about sinning. He imagines returning to his body, and him having been in God’s presence, be able to provide grace (water) to those that he had not been able to before (maybe including himself). The world is referenced to as the dry land, because it is lacking in the water that God is sending in “big waves”. It’s not because of lack of water (clearly! God is sending it in big waves (to many people)), but because the people aren’t accepting the water that is being provided for them (aren’t looking to Jesus for help).
say what you say, you say it so well just say you will wait, like snow on the rail i been combing that train yard for some kind of sign even my own self, it just don’t seem mine
Now he changes his dialogue to be directed towards God. Tell me I’m forgiven. You say it better than anyone else because you are the only one who can forgive my sins so that I may get into heaven. Please remind me that I’m worth it/that you are longing for me in heaven. My body doesn’t seem to be mine. It could either be - it doesn’t feel right to claim this body as mine, as all thing are from and belong to you Lord - or - It just doesn’t do what I want it to. Why do I keep on sinning! It just doesn’t listen :(
give me darkness when i’m dreaming, give me moonlight when i’m leaving give me mustang horse and muscle, cuz i won’t be goin gentle give me slant-eye looks when i’m lying, give me fingers when i’m crying and i ain’t out there to cheat you, see i killed that damn coyote in me…
He wants to take a stand for his holiness. He won’t give into sin without first putting up a fight. He wants the strength to not give into sin, that only God can provide. God, call me out when I’m lying. Comfort me when I’m crying. My intentions are pure. I don’t want to hurt you anymore. I don’t want to turn my back on you anymore. Look! Look, I shut Lucifer out of my mind (with your help, of course) to make room for you! Please forgive me and take me back, even though I was the one that shoved you away (by sinning) in the first place.