"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.
There are those who think that life
Has nothing left to chance
A host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless dance
A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
The stars aren't aligned
Or the gods are malign
Blame is better to give than receive
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose free will
There are those who think that
They've been dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren't born in Lotus-Land
All preordained
A prisoner in chains
A victim of venomous fate
Kicked in the face
You can't pray for a place
In heaven's unearthly estate
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose free will
Each of us
A cell of awareness
Imperfect and incomplete
Genetic blends
With uncertain ends
On a fortune hunt
That's far too fleet
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose free will
Has nothing left to chance
A host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless dance
A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
The stars aren't aligned
Or the gods are malign
Blame is better to give than receive
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose free will
There are those who think that
They've been dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren't born in Lotus-Land
All preordained
A prisoner in chains
A victim of venomous fate
Kicked in the face
You can't pray for a place
In heaven's unearthly estate
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose free will
Each of us
A cell of awareness
Imperfect and incomplete
Genetic blends
With uncertain ends
On a fortune hunt
That's far too fleet
You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears
And kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear
I will choose free will
Lyrics submitted by shed27, edited by drewzer15, Rush4Peace
Freewill Lyrics as written by Alex Lifeson Geddy Lee
Lyrics © Anthem Entertainment
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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,
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With the possible exception of Brian Steeksma’s “Listen to Reason”, I find this to be the most clearly pro-atheists song I’ve ever heard:
There are those who think that life is nothing left to chance, A host of holy horrors to direct our aimless dance.
A planet of playthings, We dance on the strings Of powers we cannot conceive. "The stars aren't aligned Or the gods are malign"- Blame is better to give than receive.
This first section clearly seems to be categorizing god beliefs as something other than freewill. It clearly characterizes religious beliefs as making us nothing but playthings in a deterministic world, while acknowledging that this may suit some better than freewill as it allows one to simply blame misfortune or failure on supernatural forces rather than taking responsibility — “Blame is better to give than receive.”
You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice. If you choose not to decide, you still haven't made a choice. — I would insert a correction here — I am 99% certain that is says “HAVE made a choice” which makes more sense. You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill; I will choose a path that's clear- I will choose Free Will.
Here in the chorus they clearly imply that religious belief is something apart from freewill.
There are those who think that they were dealt a losing hand, The cards were stacked against them- they weren't born in lotus-land. Again the lines above and the next 3 speak to a belief in a theistic mindset that rejects responsibility for one’s own fate.
All preordained- A prisoner in chains- A victim of venomous fate. Kicked in the face, You can't pray for a place In heaven's unearthly estate.
The last part of this verse seems to almost ridicule the notion of intercessory prayer. Roughly paraphrased, the writer seems to be saying: ‘when life gets rough, it makes no sense to just pray for a better afterlife — you should take responsibility and try to make the most of the one life you know you have.
Each of us- A cell of awareness- Imperfect and incomplete. Genetic blends With uncertain ends On a fortune hunt that's far too fleet.
This last seems to be an assertion and acceptance again of the idea that we are simply evolved creatures who have developed a level of awareness and that we have one life to live, so let’s not waste it worrying about superstition.
It's not a "pro atheist" song when it clearly states "I will choose free will." Free will is a Christian concept. Free will is what is bestowed upon God's children, even the annoying, pompus atheistic ones;) Good try, though.
The only thing that is pompous and arrogant, NooContact, is claiming that your religion somehow owns free will as a concept. The concept of free will was around long before your religion, and you should stop projecting your negative qualities onto others.
Perfect interpretation. Exactly the way I would put it but you explained it wonderfully. Very good. Love it.
@pdoylemi Actually Neil Peart describes himself as a "linear-thinking agnostic".
@pdoylemi The Kybalion: Hermetic Philosophy is a 1908 book claiming to be the essence of the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus, published anonymously by a group or person under the pseudonym of "the Three Initiates". The Kybalion was first published in 1908 by the Yogi Publication Society and is now in the public domain, and can be found on the internet. The book purports to be based upon ancient Hermeticism, though many of its ideas are relatively modern concepts arising from the New Thought movement. The book early on makes the claim that it makes its appearance in one's life when the time is appropriate and includes variations of material found in the book of Proverbs. The book devotes a chapter to each of its seven "Principles", or axioms: The Principle of Mentalism, The Principle of Correspondence, The Principle of Vibration, The Principle of Polarity, The Principle of Rhythm, The Principle of Cause and Effect, and The Principle of Gender.
@pdoylemi <br /> This certainly isnt a 'pro-atheist' song. It is arguing against determinism belief systems such as astrology and systems eastern belief systems such as Buddhism that are neither determinist or indeterminist. ( in Buddhism free will is an illusion because the self is an illusion)<br /> <br /> However many theistic systems are based on the idea of individual free will. Judaism and Christianity both teach that we are individuals who are imperfect and incomplete (this is the hebrew definition of evil, or ra. Moving toward a state of completion is what is meant by the word shalom).
@pdoylemi <br /> Atheism doesnt have a monopoly on rational thought.