"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.
Give me the flammable light
I'm cold as a match, ready to strike
So, here I go
Here lies a city on fire
Singing along
The arsonist choir
Now, here I go
It's started with a spark
And burn into the dark
Now, here I go
There is a river I've found
Into the wild
Under the ground
So, here I go
A button on a string
And I heard everything
Now, here I go
Oh, sweet ignition be my fuse
You have no choice you have to choose
Bid farewell to yesterday
Say goodbye I'm on my way
But in the end we all
Come from what's come before
So, here I go
Oh, sweet ignition be my fuse
You have no choice you have to choose
Bid farewell to yesterday
Say goodbye I'm on my way
I threw it all away because
I had to be what never was
Been so hungry I could lie
Took my word, I took your wine
And held you in my bloody hands
These rattled bones and rubber bands
Washed them in the muddy water
Looking for a dime and found a quarter
But you can't make me change my name
They'll never make me change my name
Pay no mind now ain't that's something
Fuck it all I came from nothing
I'm something from nothing
You are my fuse
I'm something from nothing
You are my fuse
It goes oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
It goes oh, oh, oh
All rise
No you can't make me change my name
You'll never make me change my name
Pay no mind no wait that's something
Fuck it all I came from nothing
I'm something
From nothing
I'm something
From nothing
I'm cold as a match, ready to strike
So, here I go
Here lies a city on fire
Singing along
The arsonist choir
Now, here I go
It's started with a spark
And burn into the dark
Now, here I go
There is a river I've found
Into the wild
Under the ground
So, here I go
A button on a string
And I heard everything
Now, here I go
Oh, sweet ignition be my fuse
You have no choice you have to choose
Bid farewell to yesterday
Say goodbye I'm on my way
But in the end we all
Come from what's come before
So, here I go
Oh, sweet ignition be my fuse
You have no choice you have to choose
Bid farewell to yesterday
Say goodbye I'm on my way
I threw it all away because
I had to be what never was
Been so hungry I could lie
Took my word, I took your wine
And held you in my bloody hands
These rattled bones and rubber bands
Washed them in the muddy water
Looking for a dime and found a quarter
But you can't make me change my name
They'll never make me change my name
Pay no mind now ain't that's something
Fuck it all I came from nothing
I'm something from nothing
You are my fuse
I'm something from nothing
You are my fuse
It goes oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
It goes oh, oh, oh
All rise
No you can't make me change my name
You'll never make me change my name
Pay no mind no wait that's something
Fuck it all I came from nothing
I'm something
From nothing
I'm something
From nothing
Lyrics submitted by Paul123456, edited by Crazyguy1990, Giuegi, intothegrinder
Something From Nothing Lyrics as written by David Grohl Chris Shiflett
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
This song has everything to do with coming from nothing and making it big in the big city, more specifically Chicago, IL. The references to Buddy Guy are scattered through out.
"A button on a string" Buddy Guy talks about how we would convert anything he could into an instrument because he was broke when he was young.
"Been so hungry I could lie Took my word, I took your wine" - Buddy talks about an encounter with someone who helped him make it big, he ended up drinking wine with the gentlemen"
"And held you in my bloody hands These rattled bones and rubber bands Washed them in the muddy water" - Muddy Waters is the Father of Chicago Blues.. also Buddy guy made a guitar like sound out of a rubber band.
"But you can't make me change my name They'll never make me change my name Pay no mind now ain't that's something Fuck it all I came from nothing"- The suits wanted to change Buddy Guy's name to have him become more marketable. Also, Buddy Guy mentions how "Mother Fucker" was a popular term at the time, maybe Dave threw it in there to pay homage.
"Give me the flammable light I'm cold as a match, ready to strike So here I go
Here lies a city on fire Singing along The arsonist choir Now here I go
It's started with a spark And burn into the dark Now here I go"
Here they're talking about the Great Chicago Fire of 1871
Seems to me like it's Dave commenting on his post-Nirvana status, and how this band is his "Something from Nothing" (after the breakup of Nirvana).
WRONG WRONG WRONG! Watch Sonic Highways Episode 1. This song has everything to do with coming from nothing and making it big in the big city, more specifically Chicago, IL. The references to Buddy Guy are scattered through out. <br /> <br /> "A button on a string" Buddy Guy talks about how we would convert anything he could into an instrument because he was broke when he was young.<br /> <br /> "Been so hungry I could lie<br /> Took my word, I took your wine" - Buddy talks about an encounter with someone who helped him make it big, he ended up drinking wine with the gentlemen"<br /> <br /> "And held you in my bloody hands<br /> These rattled bones and rubber bands<br /> Washed them in the muddy water" - Muddy Waters is the Father of Chicago Blues.. also Buddy guy made a guitar like sound out of a rubber band.<br /> <br /> "But you can't make me change my name<br /> They'll never make me change my name<br /> Pay no mind now ain't that's something<br /> Fuck it all I came from nothing"- The suits wanted to change Buddy Guy's name to have him become more marketable. Also, Buddy Guy mentions how "Mother Fucker" was a popular term at the time, maybe Dave threw it in there to pay homage.<br /> <br /> <br /> PLEASE JUST WATCH SONIC HIGHWAYS EPISODE 1 CHICAGO AND STOP THINKING EVERY SONG DAVE WRITES IS ABOUT KURT/NIRVANA.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />
Respect for the intended meaning of the song and for all opinions/interpretations.
This song took on a completely different meaning for me
a simple interpretation of the universe and everything in it.
This song is clearly about Kurt.