"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.
Now when I go to work, I work all day,
Always turns out the same.
When I bring home my hard-earned pay
I spend my money all on mary jane.
Mary jane, mary jane, lord, my mary jane.
Oh if a man should look tame now, mean and mature,
They all turn out the same.
'cause they can't do nothing to make a man feel good
Like my old mary jane.
Mary jane, mary jane, lord, my mary jane.
Now I walk in the street now lookin' for a friend
One that can lend me some change.
And he never questions my reason why,
'cause he too loves mary jane.
Mary jane, mary jane, lord, my mary jane.
Well, I have known women that wanted no man,
Some that wanted to stay.
But I never knew what happened in this world
Till I met up with mary jane,
Mary jane, mary jane, lord my mary jane.
Oh, when I'm feelin' lonesome and I'm feelin' blue,
There's only one way to change.
Now I walk down the street now lookin' for a man,
One that knows my mary jane,
Mary jane, mary jane, lord my mary jane.
Always turns out the same.
When I bring home my hard-earned pay
I spend my money all on mary jane.
Mary jane, mary jane, lord, my mary jane.
Oh if a man should look tame now, mean and mature,
They all turn out the same.
'cause they can't do nothing to make a man feel good
Like my old mary jane.
Mary jane, mary jane, lord, my mary jane.
Now I walk in the street now lookin' for a friend
One that can lend me some change.
And he never questions my reason why,
'cause he too loves mary jane.
Mary jane, mary jane, lord, my mary jane.
Well, I have known women that wanted no man,
Some that wanted to stay.
But I never knew what happened in this world
Till I met up with mary jane,
Mary jane, mary jane, lord my mary jane.
Oh, when I'm feelin' lonesome and I'm feelin' blue,
There's only one way to change.
Now I walk down the street now lookin' for a man,
One that knows my mary jane,
Mary jane, mary jane, lord my mary jane.
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Jane's Addiction
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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.
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"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."
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
love this song. love that entire "janis" recording. and i love my mary jane.
smokin dope
I am curious: What recording does this song appear on?
I am beginning to see a lot of phony lyrics on this page...
Released in 1975, on a two LP set titled as "Janis." It is Track 5 on the second LP. As far as the lyrics, they seem accurate, and not phoney.
The lyrics suggest Janis' means of getting a lift when feeling down; finding someone to sell her some weed... She enjoyed an ocassional toke, like so many Americans did before her and still do. Too bad it is still illegal in the US; no thanks to the Duponts and other industrialists linked to the oil and petro-chemical industries in the 1930s. Hemp has had a bad rap ever since.
Released in 1975, on a two LP set titled as "Janis." It is Track 5 on the second LP. As far as the lyrics, they seem accurate, and not phoney.
The lyrics suggest Janis' means of getting a lift when feeling down; finding someone to sell her some weed... She enjoyed an ocassional toke, like so many Americans did before her and still do. Too bad it is still illegal in the US; no thanks to the Duponts and other industrialists linked to the oil and petro-chemical industries in the 1930s. Hemp has had a bad rap ever since.
I've only met mary jane once.
she is pretty nice
but my friends are so rude, they don't wanna meet her
Only once??<br /> <br /> Too bad.. When Mary Jane is around you always have fun..
"Now when I go to work, I work all day, Always turns out the same. When I bring home my hard-earned pay I spend my money all on Mary Jane. Mary Jane, Mary Jane, Lord, my Mary Jane."
Man.. Ain't that the goddamned truth. My friends always play this for me because my name is Mary Jane.