"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.
My radio, believe me, I like it loud
I'm the man with a box that can rock the crowd
Walkin' down the street, to the hardcore beat
While my JVC vibrates the concrete
I'm sorry if you can't understand
But I need a radio inside my hand
Don't mean to offend other citizens
But I kick my volume way past ten
My story is rough, my neighbourhood is tough
But I still sport gold, and I'm out to crush
My name is Cool J, I devastate the show
But I couldn't survive without my radio
Terrorising my neighbours with the heavy bass
I keep the suckas in fear by the look on my face
My radio's bad from the Boulevard
I'm a hip-hop gangster and my name is Todd
Just stimulated by the beat, bust out the rhyme
Get fresh batteries if it won't rewind
'Cause I play everyday, even on the subway
I woulda got a summons but I ran away
I'm the leader of the show, keepin' you on the go
But I know I can't live without my radio
Suckas on my jock when I walk down the block
I really don't care if you're jealous or not
'Cause I make the songs, you sing along
And your radio's deaf when my record's on
So get off the wall, become involved
All your radio problems have now been solved
My treacherous beats make ya ears respond
And my radio's loud like a fire alarm
The floor vibrates, the walls cave in
The bass makes my eardrums seem thin
Def sounds in my ride, yes the front and back
You would think it was a party, not a Cadillac
'Cause I drive up to the ave, with the windows closed
And my bass is so loud, it could rip your clothes
My stereo's stompin' like a savage beast
The level on my power meter will not decrease
Suckas get mad, 'cause the girlies scream
And I'm still gettin' paid while you look at me mean
I'm the leader of the show, keepin' you on the go
But I know I can't live without my radio
I'm the leader of the show, keepin' you on the go
And I know I can't live without my radio
Don't touch that dial, I'll be upset
Might go into a fit and rip off your neck
'Cause my radio's thumpin' when I'm down to play
I'm the royal chief rocker LL Cool J
Let your big butt bounce from right to left
'Cause it's a actual fact this jam is def
Most definitely created by me
Goin' down in radio history
I'm good to go on your radio
And I'm cold gettin' paid 'cause Rick said so
Make the woofers wallop and your tweeters twitch
Some jealous knuckleheads might try to diss
But it's nuthin', ya frontin', ya girl I am stuntin'
And my radio's loud enough to keep you gruntin'
My name is Cool J, I'm from the rock
Circulating through your radio non-stop
I'm lookin' at the wires behind the cassette
And now I'm on the right, standing on the eject
Wearin' light blue Pumas, a whole lotta gold
And jams like these keep me in control
I'm the leader of the show, keepin' you on the go
And I know I can't live without my radio
Your energy level starts to increase
As my big beat is slowly released
I'm on the radio and at the jam
Ll Cool J is who I am
I'mma make you dance, boogie down and rock
And you'll scratch and shake to my musical plot
And to expand my musical plan
Cut Creator, rock the beat with your hand
That's right, so don't try to front the move
As you become motivated by the funky groove
You can see me and Earl chillin' on the block
With my box cold kickin' with the gangster rock
See people can't stop me, neither can the police
I'm a musical maniac to say the least
For you and your radio I made this for
Cool J's here to devastate once more
Pullin' all the girls, takin' out MCs
If ya try to disrespect me, I just say 'Please!'
Here to command the hip-hop land
Kick it live with a box inside my hand
I'm the leader of the show, keepin' you on the go
But I know I can't live without my radio
Farmers Boulevard
Yeah, you know that's where me and E hang out
Cool out, you know what I'm sayin'?
That's where the crib's at
I'm the man with a box that can rock the crowd
Walkin' down the street, to the hardcore beat
While my JVC vibrates the concrete
I'm sorry if you can't understand
But I need a radio inside my hand
Don't mean to offend other citizens
But I kick my volume way past ten
My story is rough, my neighbourhood is tough
But I still sport gold, and I'm out to crush
My name is Cool J, I devastate the show
But I couldn't survive without my radio
Terrorising my neighbours with the heavy bass
I keep the suckas in fear by the look on my face
My radio's bad from the Boulevard
I'm a hip-hop gangster and my name is Todd
Just stimulated by the beat, bust out the rhyme
Get fresh batteries if it won't rewind
'Cause I play everyday, even on the subway
I woulda got a summons but I ran away
I'm the leader of the show, keepin' you on the go
But I know I can't live without my radio
Suckas on my jock when I walk down the block
I really don't care if you're jealous or not
'Cause I make the songs, you sing along
And your radio's deaf when my record's on
So get off the wall, become involved
All your radio problems have now been solved
My treacherous beats make ya ears respond
And my radio's loud like a fire alarm
The floor vibrates, the walls cave in
The bass makes my eardrums seem thin
Def sounds in my ride, yes the front and back
You would think it was a party, not a Cadillac
'Cause I drive up to the ave, with the windows closed
And my bass is so loud, it could rip your clothes
My stereo's stompin' like a savage beast
The level on my power meter will not decrease
Suckas get mad, 'cause the girlies scream
And I'm still gettin' paid while you look at me mean
I'm the leader of the show, keepin' you on the go
But I know I can't live without my radio
I'm the leader of the show, keepin' you on the go
And I know I can't live without my radio
Don't touch that dial, I'll be upset
Might go into a fit and rip off your neck
'Cause my radio's thumpin' when I'm down to play
I'm the royal chief rocker LL Cool J
Let your big butt bounce from right to left
'Cause it's a actual fact this jam is def
Most definitely created by me
Goin' down in radio history
I'm good to go on your radio
And I'm cold gettin' paid 'cause Rick said so
Make the woofers wallop and your tweeters twitch
Some jealous knuckleheads might try to diss
But it's nuthin', ya frontin', ya girl I am stuntin'
And my radio's loud enough to keep you gruntin'
My name is Cool J, I'm from the rock
Circulating through your radio non-stop
I'm lookin' at the wires behind the cassette
And now I'm on the right, standing on the eject
Wearin' light blue Pumas, a whole lotta gold
And jams like these keep me in control
I'm the leader of the show, keepin' you on the go
And I know I can't live without my radio
Your energy level starts to increase
As my big beat is slowly released
I'm on the radio and at the jam
Ll Cool J is who I am
I'mma make you dance, boogie down and rock
And you'll scratch and shake to my musical plot
And to expand my musical plan
Cut Creator, rock the beat with your hand
That's right, so don't try to front the move
As you become motivated by the funky groove
You can see me and Earl chillin' on the block
With my box cold kickin' with the gangster rock
See people can't stop me, neither can the police
I'm a musical maniac to say the least
For you and your radio I made this for
Cool J's here to devastate once more
Pullin' all the girls, takin' out MCs
If ya try to disrespect me, I just say 'Please!'
Here to command the hip-hop land
Kick it live with a box inside my hand
I'm the leader of the show, keepin' you on the go
But I know I can't live without my radio
Farmers Boulevard
Yeah, you know that's where me and E hang out
Cool out, you know what I'm sayin'?
That's where the crib's at
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.