He has never toured the United States, where he is best known for the 1978 single "Fool (If You Think It's Over)", which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, earning him a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist in 1978. A decade later, "Working On It" topped the Mainstream Rock chart. He has sold more than 40 million records worldwide.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Rea
Studio albums
Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? (Magnet, 1978)
Deltics (Magnet, 1979)
Tennis (Magnet, 1980)
Chris Rea (Magnet, 1981)
Water Sign (Magnet, 1983)
Wired to the Moon (Magnet, 1984)
Shamrock Diaries (Magnet, 1985)
On the Beach (Magnet, 1986)
Dancing with Strangers (Magnet, 1987)
The Road to Hell (WEA, 1989)
Auberge (EastWest, 1991)
God's Great Banana Skin (EastWest, 1992)
Espresso Logic (EastWest, 1993)
La Passione (soundtrack, EastWest, 1996)
The Blue Cafe (EastWest, 1998)
The Road to Hell: Part 2 (EastWest, 1999)
King of the Beach (EastWest, 2000)
Dancing Down the Stony Road/Stony Road (Jazzee Blue, 2002
Blue Street (Five Guitars) (Jazzee Blue, 2003)
Hofner Blue Notes (Jazzee Blue, 2003)
The Blue Jukebox (Jazzee Blue, 2004)
Blue Guitars (Jazzee Blue, 2005)
The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes (Jazzee Blue, 2008)
Santo Spirito Blues (Jazzee Blue, 2011)
Road Songs for Lovers (Jazzee Blue, 2017)
One Fine Day (Rhino, limited release, 2019)
Johnny Needs a Fast Car
Chris Rea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Johnny needs it bad
Johnny always do the best
Whatever johnny has
Johnny needs a fast one
Johnny needs it now
You got to give him something to
Let him show you how
Johnny needs a fast car
Johnny needs a break
Johnny don't need good luck
'cause johnny never fakes
He'll always make it look good
You'll always see him smile
Give johnny a few inches
And he'll give you back a mile
Johnny needs a fast car
Johnny needs a fast car
Tears upon the broken bones
Of luck that never went his way
Bless this one you'll know him by his smile
Chris Rea's "Johnny Needs a Fast Car" is a song about a man named Johnny who desires a fast car. He wants it desperately, because with it, he believes that he can show off his true abilities. Johnny is a person who always gives his best, no matter the circumstances. He's a hard worker, a fighter, and he never fakes anything. He's the kind of person who will always make a difficult task appear effortless, and he'll do it with a smile on his face.
The lyrics represent the struggles of chasing after one's dreams and desires, and the perseverance necessary to achieve them. Johnny has had a tough life and has faced many setbacks, but he's never given up or stopped believing in himself. This is what makes him stand out from others. Tears on broken bones represent the difficulties he has faced, but he remains strong, and his smile is a symbol of his determination and willpower. The song encourages us to pursue our dreams relentlessly, to never give up or fake anything along the way, and that the journey to success is fraught with obstacles but always worth the effort.
Line by Line Meaning
Johnny needs a fast car
Johnny desires a speedy mode of transportation
Johnny needs it bad
Johnny wants a fast car urgently
Johnny always do the best
Johnny always strives to give his best in everything he does
Whatever johnny has
Irrespective of his possessions, Johnny always does his best
Johnny needs a fast one
Johnny needs a car that can go at a high speed
Johnny needs it now
Johnny wants the car immediately
You got to give him something to
To fulfill his desire for speed, someone has to provide him with the car
Let him show you how
Johnny will demonstrate his driving skills once he gets the car
Johnny needs a fast car
Reiteration of Johnny's desire for speed
Johnny needs a break
Johnny needs a chance or opportunity to succeed
Johnny don't need good luck
Johnny believes in his abilities rather than depending on luck
'cause johnny never fakes
Johnny is authentic in his actions and beliefs
He'll always make it look good
Johnny is confident and skilled enough to make anything look good
You'll always see him smile
Johnny always remains happy despite his struggles
Give johnny a few inches
If Johnny is given a chance, he'll make the most of it
And he'll give you back a mile
He will repay your trust and support manifold
Johnny needs a fast car
Reiteration of Johnny's desire for speed
Tears upon the broken bones
Johnny has gone through a lot of struggles and hardships
Of luck that never went his way
Despite his efforts, luck has never favored Johnny
Bless this one you'll know him by his smile
Despite his struggles, Johnny's cheerful disposition sets him apart as a special person
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER ANTON REA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind