"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 beat my machine
It's a part of me, it's inside of me
I'm stuck in this dream
It's changing me, I am becoming
The me that you know
He had some second thoughts
He's covered with scabs
He is broken and sore
The me that you know
He doesn't come around much
That part of me isn't here anymore
All pain disappears
It's the nature of, of my circuitry
Drowns out all I hear
No escape from this, my new consciousness
The me that you know
He used to have feelings
But the blood has stopped pumping
And he is left to decay
The me that you know
Is now made up of wires
And even when I'm right with you
I'm so far away
I can try to get away
But I've strapped myself in
I can try to scratch away
The sound in my ears
I can see it killing away
All of my bad parts
I don't want to listen
But it's all too clear
Hiding backwards inside of me
I feel so unafraid
Annie, hold a little tighter
I might just slip away
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It's a part of me, it's inside of me
I'm stuck in this dream
It's changing me, I am becoming
The me that you know
He had some second thoughts
He's covered with scabs
He is broken and sore
The me that you know
He doesn't come around much
That part of me isn't here anymore
All pain disappears
It's the nature of, of my circuitry
Drowns out all I hear
No escape from this, my new consciousness
The me that you know
He used to have feelings
But the blood has stopped pumping
And he is left to decay
The me that you know
Is now made up of wires
And even when I'm right with you
I'm so far away
I can try to get away
But I've strapped myself in
I can try to scratch away
The sound in my ears
I can see it killing away
All of my bad parts
I don't want to listen
But it's all too clear
Hiding backwards inside of me
I feel so unafraid
Annie, hold a little tighter
I might just slip away
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
It won't give up, it wants me dead
Goddamn this noise inside my head
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This is one of my favorite songs on The Downward Spiral. To me it is basically about people not knowing who the real you is.
An innocent soul that descends into schizophrenia, probably from drug use, and ends up medicated and reprogrammed into this new machine. The real person is still inside, but he is no longer in touch with his feelings.