"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.
My sweet Lady Jane
When I see you again
Your servant am I
And will humbly remain
Just heed this plea, my love
On bended knees my love
I pledge myself to Lady Jane
My dear Lady Anne
I've done what I can
I must take my leave
For promised I am
This play is run, my love
Your time has come, my love
I pledge my troth to Lady Jane
Oh, my sweet Marie
I wait at your ease
The sands have run out
For your lady and me
Wedlock is nigh my love
Her station's right my love
Life is secure with Lady Jane
When I see you again
Your servant am I
And will humbly remain
Just heed this plea, my love
On bended knees my love
I pledge myself to Lady Jane
My dear Lady Anne
I've done what I can
I must take my leave
For promised I am
This play is run, my love
Your time has come, my love
I pledge my troth to Lady Jane
Oh, my sweet Marie
I wait at your ease
The sands have run out
For your lady and me
Wedlock is nigh my love
Her station's right my love
Life is secure with Lady Jane
Lyrics submitted by oofus, edited by MrMikeS, DuncanIdaho
Lady Jane Lyrics as written by Mick Jagger Keith Richards
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Abkco Music Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Jane" is Jane Seymour, Henry's favorite wife (as she gave him a son). "Anne" is Anne Boleyn, who preceded Jane as queen consort and who's "time came" on the block in 1536. "Marie" is a reference to Henry's daughter, Mary. If you listen closely, he sings not about Marie but about how the "the sands have run out/for your lady and me" - Marie's lady was her mother, Catherine of Aragon. Also, "life is secure with Lady Jane" may refer to the historical fact that Jane was a good stepmother to Mary and Elizabeth or to the fact that Henry now had a son to succeed him, sickly though the son was.
@UKHIST This was my interpretation as well. It is strange that he uses the French name for Mary though because she was Spanish - it was Anne that was French. Everything else seems to fit though.
@UKHIST makes sense, and that he changed Mary to Marie, as "Mary" would be an awkward fit, as the first syllable is emphasized rather than the second.
i just always thought that this was talking about marijuana (jane), even though marijuana is actually called "mary jane". i thought that "life is secure with lady jane" meant that he can always count on his weed, ,but women come and go. they don't give him quite as good of a high as "lady jane"
What leads me to think the guesses about historical 'figures in the monarchy are correct, is his usage of medieval words, like servant, pledge, troth. Also the guitar and melody has a decidedly medieval vibe.
@junkbondtrader7 Those words are modern English (post Chaucer). Old or Middle English would have pronounced the ending vowel ruining the rhythm. The Dulcimer Jones plays is medieval, but the harpsicord is Elizabethan .and Keith's guitar would have only been played in chords until the 18th century. Rhythm is Chaucer and rhyme scheme (AABCCA) is post Elizabeth. I have no idea when the six-note scale was popular. <br /> Great song to dance to imaging the man wears a wig and the lady is wearing 16 petticoats and a corset. Don't forget to bow to each ither often. "Pray me, My Lady, would you honor me with a position on your dance card?"
Ladies Jane, Anne, and Marie seem to all be references to each murdered aristocrat-- Lady Jane was beheaded by her sister Queen Mary when she (Jane) was crowned Queen for maybe a couple of days, Queen Anne was beheaded by her husband, and Marie is Queen Marie Antoinette, also beheaded.
What's funny is that the only one he stays with in the song is Lady Jane... I sort of wonder why that was...
Wow I like that theory a lot Acey. I just though it was about a huy who can't make his mind up between these three ladies that he is banging.
@kfe2
I agree with you totally! :-)
Acey Dearest is right
This song is great. Mick Jagger sang it in Italian for in Milan, Italy. First show after Keith got his brain surgery. It sounded alot better in Italian to be honest, but none the less, a deep and great song. That was one hell of a show by the way ;)
poor keith man..he has had so many problems, mental and physical. great great song tho.
Ok, sorry Acey Dearest has his history a little messed up. If the song is in fact referring to those figures of Tudor Times, it does not refer to Jane Grey Nine Days Queen and COUSIN of Mary, not sister but in fact to Jane Seymour, whom Henry called his "True Wife" because she gave him a son. In order to take the actions he wanted with Jane he had to divorce and then subsequently behead Anne Boleyn. The only confusing reference is "Marie" as Marie Antoinette did not have anything to do with the Tudor court, but i suppose it is a reference to her beheading.
UKHIST might well be right about Marie being The Lady Mary, but is certainly wrong about Jane being a good stepmother to Elizabeth and Mary. Perhaps she was kind to Mary, but she was uterlly rude to Elizabeth, and called her "Mark Smeaton's bastard", and would not call her back to court. "Lady Anne" is Anne of Cleves, as there is no hint of former romance or hatred in his words as there would have been for Anne Boleyn.