"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.
You say I only hear what I want to
You say I talk so all the time so.
And I thought what I felt was simple,
And I thought that I don't belong,
And now that I am leaving,
Now I know that I did something wrong 'cause I missed you.
Yeah, I missed you.
And you say I only hear what I want to:
I don't listen hard,
I don't pay attention to the distance that you're running
Or to anyone, anywhere,
I don't understand if you really care,
I'm only hearing negative: no, no, no (bad)
And so I, I turned the radio on, I turned the radio up
And this woman was singin' my song:
The lover's in love and the other's run away,
The lover is cryin' 'cause the other won't stay.
Some of us hover when we weep for the other who was
Dying since the day they were born.
Well, this is not that:
I think that I'm throwing, but I'm thrown.
And I thought I'd live forever, but now I'm not so sure.
You try to tell me that I'm clever,
But that won't take my anyhow, or anywhere with you.
You said that I was naive,
And I thought that I was strong.
I thought, "hey, I can leave, I can leave."
Oh but now I know that I was wrong, 'cause I missed you.
You said, "I caught you 'cause I want you and one day I'll let you go."
You try to give away a keeper, or keep me 'cause you know you're just so scared to lose.
And you say, "Stay."
You say I only hear what I want to.
You say I talk so all the time so.
And I thought what I felt was simple,
And I thought that I don't belong,
And now that I am leaving,
Now I know that I did something wrong 'cause I missed you.
Yeah, I missed you.
And you say I only hear what I want to:
I don't listen hard,
I don't pay attention to the distance that you're running
Or to anyone, anywhere,
I don't understand if you really care,
I'm only hearing negative: no, no, no (bad)
And so I, I turned the radio on, I turned the radio up
And this woman was singin' my song:
The lover's in love and the other's run away,
The lover is cryin' 'cause the other won't stay.
Some of us hover when we weep for the other who was
Dying since the day they were born.
Well, this is not that:
I think that I'm throwing, but I'm thrown.
And I thought I'd live forever, but now I'm not so sure.
You try to tell me that I'm clever,
But that won't take my anyhow, or anywhere with you.
You said that I was naive,
And I thought that I was strong.
I thought, "hey, I can leave, I can leave."
Oh but now I know that I was wrong, 'cause I missed you.
You said, "I caught you 'cause I want you and one day I'll let you go."
You try to give away a keeper, or keep me 'cause you know you're just so scared to lose.
And you say, "Stay."
You say I only hear what I want to.
Lyrics submitted by lorienmarene, edited by ShadeBlade
Stay Lyrics as written by Lisa A. Loeb
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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I dunno why you guys aren't listening to Sam, so I am going to go ahead and re-quote it.
sam98034 04-13-2008 "Well for all of you that think that this song is about a guy who is treating the girl badly...you're only hearing what you want to, and focusing on the negative. It's obvious that she is saying she was wrong, and he was right. He treated her very well, but it obviously wasn't good enough for her because she only focused on the negative. He told her this and she wouldn't listen, she thought he was wrong. When they break up, she realizes how good she had it before and that she really was just focused on the negative and was very lucky to have him. This is not a song about a girl who was oppressed, but a song about a girl who is humbled by the realization that she was wrong and should have listened."
This.
Try to look at the song from a different point of view, and you will realize this is EXACTLY what it's about.
I thought it was obvious this was the meaning of the song, i'm suprised so many people thought the exactly opposite.
hey, alphae. don't feel alone, man. i like this song, too. it's cool to be a dude and like a chick song. rock on!
She only hears what she wants to. They point is she hear's him say, "stay". It's something she wanted to hear.
so true. :D
I have to say, that the errors in these lyrics can change the entire meaning of the song, such as who is speaking when and to whom.
youtube.com/watch
The correct lyrics at the end are:
You said, You caught me 'cause you want me and one day you'll let me go You tried to give away a keeper, or keep me 'cause you know you're just so scared to lose.
And you say, "Stay"
And you say, I only hear what I want to...
If the quotation marks SHOULD be there, then HE is saying that SHE caught him and one day will "let him go", as in leave him.
Without the quotation marks SHE is saying that HE said he caught her but will one day let her go, as in not ask her to "stay"
If the entire section was her quoting him, and it was all in quotation marks, it would make more sense, as he never tried to "give away a keeper". SHE is the one leaving and coming back, and HE is the one asking her to "Stay" IE She caught HIM, one day she will let HIM go, she tried to give away a keeper, or maybe she won't leave because SHE "is just so scared to lose"
It could also that only the second part should be in quotes, were he said he caught her because he wanted her, but one day if she keeps leaving he won't ask for her to stay, and HE is then telling her that SHE might try and give away a keeper or might stay because she is so scared to lose and be alone.
There is not much point having a web site discussing the meaning of song lyrics if the posted lyrics are incorrect. And having quotation marks in the wrong pace makes it a bit of a mess.
this songs bout a girl who thinks she can leave the guy she loves- only because she believes she doesn't love him anymore- only to realize that once he's not her's she misses him- and wishes she had never made that mistake---------- ive been there
I agree Carnie. :)
Oh man, ah, the early/mid 90s. The only era where songs like this would have been hits. I miss the 90s. Good music, Clinton was running the country, and all was good... so much has changed.
@bradleyb <br /> Yeah.<br /> The 90s are a criminally underrated decade.<br /> No wars. Good economy. Good music.
alrite.. i don't know how many times i have listened to this song.. but i am still confused on what its about. mostly i think like... stuff w/ her boyfriend got bad & he didn't see how hard she was trying to make things work... so finally she got frustrated & just left.. but then she realized that she needs him... but then i don't get this.....
You said, "I caught you 'cause I want you and one day I'll let you go" You try to give away a keeper, or keep me 'Cause you know you're just scared to lose And you say, "Stay."
anyone?
It's about 2 people in a really complicated relashionship. She left because she thought he wasn't the one for her and that the feelings she felt for him isn't love. But after she left, she realized she misses him and she may be wrong about the whole thing "And I thought what I felt was simple,<br /> and I thought that I don't belong,<br /> and now that I am leaving,<br /> now I know that I did something wrong 'cause I missed you."<br /> And then the following lyrics explain what had actually happened to make her leave. She's not sure if he really cares about her, so he goes and tells her that she dsnt lsn and dsnt realize how much he tries for her:<br /> "And you say I only hear what I want to:<br /> I don't listen hard,<br /> I don't pay attention to the distance that you're running<br /> to anyone, anywhere,<br /> I don't understand if you really care,<br /> I'm only hearing negative: no, no, no."<br /> Basically her conflict is that she she loves him but at the same time she doesn't know if he wants her because he really cares about her or if it's just that he scared of ending up alone. <br /> <br />
Those lyrics are actually wrong.<br /> <br /> And where the quotation marks come changes the meaning as it changes who is speaking.<br /> <br /> You said, <br /> "You caught me 'cause you want me and one day you'll let me go<br /> You tried to give away a keeper,<br /> or keep me 'cause you know you're just so<br /> scared to lose."<br /> <br /> And you say,<br /> "Stay"<br /> <br /> And you say,<br /> I only hear what I want to...<br /> <br /> <br /> Who is speaking when, her or him?<br /> <br />
I think this song has a lot ot do with losing control-
" I think that I'm throwing but I'm thrown"
she's dealing with someone who really underestimates her and she is powerless because shes seems to need him.
I dunno thats just my guess -meredith
I like meredith's idea.
It seems like I'm the only male that enjoys this song.... LoL I would love to do a cover of this song.....
@AlphaE <br /> I am a guy who detests chick music. But this possibly is the one and only chick song I really love.<br /> It is just a great, great melody. A finely crafted pop song.