- published: 15 Jan 2016
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"Fast Car" is the title of a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman. It was released as a single in April 1988 from her self-titled 1988 debut album Tracy Chapman. Her appearance on the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute was the catalyst for the song's becoming a top 10 hit in the US, peaking at number 6 on the Hot 100, and a top 10 hit the United Kingdom, peaking at number 4 on the charts there.
In April 2011 the song re-entered the charts in the United Kingdom after being performed by a participant, Michael Collings, on Britain's Got Talent. During a midweek update (April 20) the song was placed in the 4th position; it managed to hold onto this place until the singles chart on April 24, thus tying its original peak position from 1988.Kristian Leontiou's 2005 single version also charted at number 88 that same day.
The song is a narrative tale of generational poverty. The song's narrator tells the story of her hard life, which begins when her mother divorces her jobless, alcoholic father, forcing the narrator to quit school in order to care for him. Eventually, she leaves her hometown with her partner in hopes of making a better life. Despite her employment at a grocery store, she falls victim to the cycle of poverty, as her life begins to mirror her mother's: her partner remains largely unemployed and becomes an alcoholic. She is left alone with her children while her partner spends time drinking with friends. Finally, after getting a job that will support her family, she comes to accept her life as the way it is and to give up chasing empty dreams. She tells her partner to leave her; to take "your fast car and keep on driving." The final refrain is sung in variation, changing from "We gotta make a decision, leave tonight or live and die this way" to "You gotta make a decision, leave tonight or live and die this way."
You've got me thinkin' 'bout tomorrow,
although I'm livin' in today,
you've got me wishin' I lived in another world,
though in my home I wanna stay,
You're tellin' me you understand,
but you don't really know now who I am,
or what I do,
you're tellin' me we'll work it out,
then all you do is kick and scream and shout,
what more can I say,
Fast car take me home,
to the place where I can breathe where I feel strong,
fast car take me back,
to the place where I'm free at last,
so free at last,
heh,
yeah eh eh heh,
oooh ooh ohh,
Why did I let you come this far,
why did I let you tear me down, baby,
I should have known it from the start, I didn't,
you turned a page without a sound,
You're tellin' me I've got to learn,
but you're love has so many twists and turns,
I can't find my way,
you're tellin' me it's all a shame,
but now I feel this soul has got no name,
and to you t's all a game,
Fast car take me home,
to the place where I can breathe where I feel strong,
fast car take me back,
to the place where I'm free at last,
so free at last,
at last yeah,
ooh hooo,
You're tellin' me it's all a shame,
but now I feel this soul has got no name,
and to you it's all a game,
Fast car take me home,
to the place where I can breathe where I feel strong,
fast car take me back,
to the place where I'm free at last (so free at last baby)
Fast car take me home,
to the place where I can breathe where I feel strong,
fast car take me back,
to the place where I'm free at last,
so free at last