Paramore felt this song was a fitting choice to lead off their self-titled album, as it is about their newfound bond with each other.
Bassist Jeremy Davis told Wireless Magazine:
"I feel like the lyrics in that song tell you everything you need to know about what happened before and where we’ve been. It’s kind of like we’re opening up the album saying, ‘Hey, we’ve been gone for a while we know, me and my three friends here, we’ve been through a long fight but we’re back and we feel victorious on the other side.’ We kind of feel like we made it through the war, you know?”
Hayley offered a similar sentiment while talking to Hysteria Magazine:
"That song in particular gives people a very clear picture of the rest of the album as far as lyrically and how the story goes. We’re ready to leave the drama and the BS behind us. It’s been a long ride to get to where we are now and we just want to enjoy it, and for people to enjoy it with us and to let go of the negatives that we had. It’s a new time for the band, and we’re ready for people to experience that.”
While answers to this type of question can change week to week, Davis said during the Q+A on the Parahoy cruise he would pick "Fast In My Car" if he could only save one Paramore song. “I just love the layers to it. It’s fun to play live, I love listening to it, and I love the way it starts our album off.”
After being asked if the song was about Paramore’s lineup changes in an interview with SPIN, Hayley Williams stated:
"“Fast in My Car” is actually more about people who can’t let go of our past, and the people who can’t see outside of the big, fat shadow of Paramore’s soap opera. It’s about just wanting to be left alone enough to grow and move forward and just enjoy where we are."
Hayley told MTV News:
"We were living in LA when we made the record, and we were writing it out there too, and one night, I had, like, a Honda Hybrid car, and we pile into it, and there’s only two seats, and so Taylor [York’s] laid out in the back of it; we’re all trying to fit into it to go get sushi. And it felt like one of those nights, back in 2004, when we’re headed to our first shows, and we all just piled into a station wagon with all our stuff. It felt like that again, and it felt so good, so I wanted to write a song about us getting away together. Piling up in a car and getting gone."
Fast in My Car
Paramore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I came out callous and cruel
And my two friends know this very well
Because they went through it too
The three of us were initiates
We had to learn how to deal
And when we spotted a second chance
Hollowed out and
Filled up with hate
All we want is
You to give us a break
We're driving fast in my car
We've got our riot gear on
But we just want to have fun
No, we're not looking for violence
Tonight we want to have fun
No one's the same as they used to be
Much as we try to pretend
No one's as innocent as could be
We all fall short, we all sin
But now we are looking backward
We won't try raising the dead
We only see what's in front of us
We only see straight ahead
Hollowed out and
Filled up with hate
All we want is
You to give us a break
We're driving fast in my car
We've got our riot gear on
But we just want to have fun
No, we're not looking for violence
Tonight we want to have fun
Get in my car and we'll drive around
And make believe we are free
Already proved we can tough it up
And we get along so smoothly
We're driving fast in my car
We've got our riot gear on
But we just want to have fun
No, we're not looking for violence
Tonight we want to have fun
We're driving fast in my car
We're driving fast in my car
No, we're not looking for violence
We're driving fast in my car
And we just want to have fun
The song "Fast in My Car" by Paramore is a reflection of the band's journey into the music industry, filled with experiences of desperation, setbacks, and the desire to have fun. The opening lines of the song, "Been through the ringer a couple times, I came out callous and cruel," show that the band has gone through tough times and has become hardened by those experiences. The next lines, "And my two friends know this very well because they went through it too," reveal that the band members went through these hardships together, and they have become close because of it. They had to deal with various challenges before getting their big break, and they "had to learn how to steal" to spot and take advantage of an opportunity.
The chorus of "Fast in My Car" is a representation of the band's desire to escape the negativity and pressures that come with being in the music industry. They want to have fun, and they're not seeking violence or trouble. They want to experience freedom and let loose, which is why they are driving fast in their car with their "riot gear on." These lyrics symbolize their readiness to face any challenges that come their way and to have the courage to make necessary changes in their lives.
The last few lines of the song suggest that the band has learned from their past mistakes and no longer dwell on them. Instead, they are living in the present and looking forward to the future. They want to move past their problems and enjoy the moment, which is evident in the lines, "Get in my car, and we'll drive around, and make believe we are free." The band wants to be liberated from their past traumas and experience normalcy.
Line by Line Meaning
Been through the ringer a couple times
We have gone through difficult and trying times
I came out callous and cruel
We have become hardened and unkind because of our experiences
And my two friends know this very well
The people closest to us are aware of our changed behavior
Because they went through it too
They have also experienced the same difficulties
The three of us were initiates
We were new to something and had to learn how to navigate it
We had to learn how to deal
We had to figure out how to handle the situation
And when we spotted a second chance
When an opportunity came up for us to try again
We had to learn how to steal
We had to take advantage of the chance we were given
Hollowed out and
We feel empty and
Filled up with hate
We have a lot of anger and resentment
All we want is
Our only desire is
You to give us a break
For people to cut us some slack and give us a chance to have fun
We're driving fast in my car
We are in a car going at high speed
We've got our riot gear on
We are prepared for anything and everything
But we just want to have fun
We want to enjoy ourselves
No, we're not looking for violence
We don't want any trouble or aggression
Tonight we want to have fun
We want to relax and enjoy ourselves tonight
No one's the same as they used to be
People change over time
Much as we try to pretend
Despite our attempts to act as if things are the same
No one's as innocent as could be
No one is completely pure or without fault
We all fall short, we all sin
We all make mistakes and do things we regret
But now we are looking backward
We are reflecting on the past
We won't try raising the dead
We won't try to bring back things that are gone
We only see what's in front of us
We are focused on the present
We only see straight ahead
We are looking ahead and not dwelling on the past
Get in my car and we'll drive around
Come with me and we can go for a drive
And make believe we are free
We can pretend that we don't have any worries or responsibilities
Already proved we can tough it up
We have already shown that we can handle difficult situations
And we get along so smoothly
We have a good relationship and work well together
We're driving fast in my car
We are still speeding in the car
No, we're not looking for violence
We reiterate that we are not seeking trouble
We're driving fast in my car
We are still continuing to drive at a high speed
And we just want to have fun
Our only desire is to enjoy ourselves
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JUSTIN MELDAL-JOHNSON, H. WILLIAMS, TAYLOR YORK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@VuyoPreciousKumbeya
We're driving fast in my car
We've got our riot gear on but we just want to have fun
No we're not looking for violence, no oh oh oh
Tonight we want to have fun
No one's the same as they used to be
Much as we try to pretend
No one's as innocent as could be
We all fall short, we all sin
But now we aren't looking backward
We won't try raising the dead
We only see what's in front of us
We only see straight ahead
Hollowed out and filled up with hate
All we want is you to give us a break
We're driving fast in my car
We've got our riot gear on but we just want to have fun
No we're not looking for violence, no oh oh oh
Tonight we want to have fun
@MatthewdePaula
This one rocks. I'll play it when I'm driving fast in my car.
@TheDreRock
The time and a place to die is when you go too far over the speed limit...hope it's not n-o-o-o-o-o-w lawl
@fabito7327
I hope that you aren't looking for violence
@ItsLisandroEhEh
If you actually kept up with the times & learned what this album is about, you'll understand why it's different from their other albums. The self-titled album is a way to reintroduce themselves, a better more improved mature band that aren't kids & focusing more on serious things. This album is a change in their sounds but it's still amazing.
If you don't like this album, no one has a gun to your head making you listen to it. Go back to the Riot! era & stay being stuck there. Let the fans enjoy their music without your judgement. Thanks xx
@SonPan96
The bass in this song is A+
@AWSOMESPAKLINGWATER
Seriously tho
@samuelmartinez2831
No more longer without Jeremy
@goolette
+Samuel Martínez don't be a buzzkill >:L
@samuelmartinez2831
Punkalicious Sorry but Paramore broke my hearth :(
@prispalos
Each time Paramore loses a member, they gain experience. After Jeremy, they have amazing bass in the new album, even without him. After Zac, they kept having amazing drums, even without him. Who knows who else will leave/join?