"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.
This is a public service announcement
With guitar
Know your rights
All three of them
Number one
You have the right not to be killed
Murder is a crime
Unless it was done
By a policeman
Or an aristocrat
Oh, know your rights
And number two
You have the right to food money
Providing of course
You don't mind a little
Investigation, humiliation
And if you cross your fingers
Rehabilitation
Know your rights
These are your rights
Hey, say, Wang
Oh, know these rights
Number three
You have the right to free speech
As long as
You're not dumb enough to actually try it
Know your rights
These are your rights
Oh, know your rights
These are your rights
All three of 'em
Ha!
It has been suggested in some quarters
That this is not enough
Well
Get off the streets
Run
Get off the streets
With guitar
Know your rights
All three of them
Number one
You have the right not to be killed
Murder is a crime
Unless it was done
By a policeman
Or an aristocrat
Oh, know your rights
And number two
You have the right to food money
Providing of course
You don't mind a little
Investigation, humiliation
And if you cross your fingers
Rehabilitation
Know your rights
These are your rights
Hey, say, Wang
Oh, know these rights
Number three
You have the right to free speech
As long as
You're not dumb enough to actually try it
Know your rights
These are your rights
Oh, know your rights
These are your rights
All three of 'em
Ha!
It has been suggested in some quarters
That this is not enough
Well
Get off the streets
Run
Get off the streets
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
This song just epitomizes Joe Strummer. What a fucking revolutionary, no one else could write a song about human rights like this. I love how he's just basically flipping the finger to the government with this. It's like he's thinking, we're supposed to be lucky to have all these so called 'rights', but all the shit we have to go through to get them, is it really worth it?
the meaning of this song is obvious, but here is some side info.
Supposedly Joe wrote this song after a series of poorly produced public service announcements were broadcasted in areas of extreme poverty in England. Because of poor education people had to learn their rights through a commercial on the television. I heard this song was a sarcastic response to those messages. I could be wrong though.
This song means,the government sucks.They claim you have rights,that you are free.But you're not.Plain and simple.You can do what you want,but there is a price to pay at the end.So **** the government,basically.Wow,nobody commented on one of the coolest songs from the Clash.Darn.
i really hope i dont have to explain the meaning of this one but this song has the greatest intro EVER "This is a public service announcement With guitar"
I'm pretty sure the "investigation, humiliation" refers to the government researching and testing people to see if they were poor enough to be put on welfare. Hence, if you were lucky, you would be "rehabilitated" back into society. (?) P.S. Fantastic politically-charged song.
This song is called "Know YOUR Rights" not "You"
this song is one of the most self explanatory ever
one of my favourite clash songs. i love joes voice when he says "by a poliiiiiiiceman". obviously self explanatory. i love sarcasm in lyrics - "all three of them" is a great line
heh heh heh i can sense the sarcasm in this song
the clash are geniuses
for some reason this sounds like a song bob dylan would write. dont ask why