"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.
I don't mind if you're keeping someone else behind
I don't care 'cause you've got something I can share
Hey, take a chance, even if it's only
Only while we're dancing in the
Light of your second sight
because When you understand me
You might feel good around me now
I don't want your love to bring me down
I don't want your love, so turn it around
I won't turn you out if you've got someone else
Someone else you care about
Because you must realize
My obsessive fascination is in your imagination
I don't want your love to bring me down (I don't want your love, I don't want your love)
I don't want your love, so turn it around (I don't want your love, I don't want your love)
Your rhythm is the power to move me
It's something you control completely
I don't want your love
I don't want your love (I don't want your love)
I like noise 'cause I like waking up the house
I cannot sit down, I can't shut my mouth
But when you understand me
You might feel good around me now
Your rhythm is the power to move me
It's something you control completely
I don't want your love
I don't want your love (I don't want your love)
I don't want your love to bring me down (I don't want your love, I don't want your love)
I don't want your love, so turn it around (I don't want your love, I don't want your love)
I don't want your love (I don't want your love), I don't want your love (I don't want your love)
I don't care 'cause you've got something I can share
Hey, take a chance, even if it's only
Only while we're dancing in the
Light of your second sight
because When you understand me
You might feel good around me now
I don't want your love to bring me down
I don't want your love, so turn it around
I won't turn you out if you've got someone else
Someone else you care about
Because you must realize
My obsessive fascination is in your imagination
I don't want your love to bring me down (I don't want your love, I don't want your love)
I don't want your love, so turn it around (I don't want your love, I don't want your love)
Your rhythm is the power to move me
It's something you control completely
I don't want your love
I don't want your love (I don't want your love)
I like noise 'cause I like waking up the house
I cannot sit down, I can't shut my mouth
But when you understand me
You might feel good around me now
Your rhythm is the power to move me
It's something you control completely
I don't want your love
I don't want your love (I don't want your love)
I don't want your love to bring me down (I don't want your love, I don't want your love)
I don't want your love, so turn it around (I don't want your love, I don't want your love)
I don't want your love (I don't want your love), I don't want your love (I don't want your love)
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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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.
Mountain Song
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
When We Were Young
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Punchline
Ed Sheeran
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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.
I heard that if you listen to the lyrics backward there's a cryptic message.
Really Canada?...I have the vinyl LP (will do it tonight)...by the way is a great song...and these days DD deliver an excelent live version during the Astronaut tour!!
Great song! There is nothing to worry about. She is not chasing you!
Love this one. I've been through this one personally. Here, Simon's schooling a delusional stalker who tried to do the flip on him (pretend and say to others he is actually the one stalking her). This became a common game in the 90's. Trust Duran Duran to blast it into the open. I've actually used their lyrics against one guy. I literally told him, "You must realize: my obsessive fascination is in your imagination."
And it was.