"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.
Soon as they fall asleep I'll be out of here
I'll put on my shoes and I'll sneak to the window
Brush the bird shit off the ledge
And shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
Sitting there looking down I prepare myself
Return to where I belong and betterfy myself
I hold my breath and close my eyes
I shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry or
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
Soon as I get back home I find the door was locked
Pretend I'm a g.i. joe and sneak around the house
I hear the dogs they're all freaking out
I shimmy shimmy in, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready, I'm not ready
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
I'll put on my shoes and I'll sneak to the window
Brush the bird shit off the ledge
And shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
Sitting there looking down I prepare myself
Return to where I belong and betterfy myself
I hold my breath and close my eyes
I shimmy shimmy off, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry or
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
Soon as I get back home I find the door was locked
Pretend I'm a g.i. joe and sneak around the house
I hear the dogs they're all freaking out
I shimmy shimmy in, shimmy shimmy
As I fall to the lonely world below (fall down fall down)
In midair floating there I declare
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Now I'm down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready to spend the night alone
I'm not ready, I'm not ready no
I'm not ready, I'm not ready
So long to the second floor
It's been fun but I don't belong
Up there with the industry
Up there with you wolves
Down here with the lower class
Down here with the idiots yeah
I feel better now
I said I feel better now
So long to the second floor
Lyrics submitted by DustinArgyle
Second Floor Lyrics as written by John Feldmann Eric Nally
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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@[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.
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Eric said in an interview about this song
"when i was about 7 or 8 i had my first overnight at my friends zacks house. he lived down the street from my mom's. for some reason i was really uneasy about the whole idea of spending the night away from my mom. so when his mom put us to bed i waited until everyone was asleep and i jumped out of their second story window and ran back home. sometimes even though i'm older, my career feels like it's too much for me and i feel like i want to jump out of the window and run home to my mom. "
So from that I think the second floor refers to fame and fortune and all the things being in a popular band would lead to and he's saying he'd much prefer to be down here with the " poor " or the fans.