"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.
This is a story about a little man named Rodney.....
Just went along with his pathetic, lonely life. Even when he went to school, Teacher said "jump" and he jumped and he jumped and he jumped. He fell on the floor.
.....
It was not to be, the world for him to see. Mercy. Oh, Mercy.
He wanted to go somewhere, relax for a while. Went to work on a boat as a cabin boy. "Get on your knees and scrub the decks, I wanna see you sweating, Make sure you're in my cabin at around 'alf past ten this evening."
He didn't like this one bit, HE'S GOTTA GET ANOTHER JOB! So he jumped off the boat and swam to the shore to work in a beach at a bar. He met a chick working there, just like him. Not too pretty, not too pretty! Sad and lonely... just like him. They went to the cinema together and then...went to his room, went to his room and made sweet lovin' to each other's only friend.
Night after, he walked out of his room, heard a voice shout...
Barman:" GO PICK THE DEAD RATS OUTTA THE DRAIN!"
First day, but it's ok. But Rod doesn't do anything just sits there. He thinks: "Fuck it, I'll put up with this shit, I've got a girl and a friend I don't need nothing else".
Barman: "How you doing my good friend? You like the ladies, eh? I see you have good taste. Miranda very nice girl, very nice girl."
Rod: "What's that supposed to mean, you tryin' to say something, say it! Very friendly girl, VERY FRIENDLY GIRL?? What's that supposed to mean??" *mumbling*
Barman: "Miranda your girl?"
Rod: "Yeah, what of it?!"
Barman: "She very good at expressing her affection for her friends, she's my girl, your girl, everybody's girl."
Rod: "So you're saying that you and all the other people that have come in this here bar have been with her? But no-one's come in here for days... APART FROM A COUPLE OF PISS-HEADS!"
Piss-head: "She 'ad lovely tight cheeks"
Sailor: "Not after I saw to her"
Rod was furious, Rod said to Miranda:
Rod: "How could you do this to me?"
Miranda: "Because of you, my whole life changed"
Rod: "So you have the confidence to disgrace yourself? No longer do I want to be a slave."
Miranda: "What? What did you say?"
Asked Miranda, would she say sorry:
Miranda: "You're weird, stay away from me"
So he put some laxatives in their tea.... and he was all alone again.
Just went along with his pathetic, lonely life. Even when he went to school, Teacher said "jump" and he jumped and he jumped and he jumped. He fell on the floor.
.....
It was not to be, the world for him to see. Mercy. Oh, Mercy.
He wanted to go somewhere, relax for a while. Went to work on a boat as a cabin boy. "Get on your knees and scrub the decks, I wanna see you sweating, Make sure you're in my cabin at around 'alf past ten this evening."
He didn't like this one bit, HE'S GOTTA GET ANOTHER JOB! So he jumped off the boat and swam to the shore to work in a beach at a bar. He met a chick working there, just like him. Not too pretty, not too pretty! Sad and lonely... just like him. They went to the cinema together and then...went to his room, went to his room and made sweet lovin' to each other's only friend.
Night after, he walked out of his room, heard a voice shout...
Barman:" GO PICK THE DEAD RATS OUTTA THE DRAIN!"
First day, but it's ok. But Rod doesn't do anything just sits there. He thinks: "Fuck it, I'll put up with this shit, I've got a girl and a friend I don't need nothing else".
Barman: "How you doing my good friend? You like the ladies, eh? I see you have good taste. Miranda very nice girl, very nice girl."
Rod: "What's that supposed to mean, you tryin' to say something, say it! Very friendly girl, VERY FRIENDLY GIRL?? What's that supposed to mean??" *mumbling*
Barman: "Miranda your girl?"
Rod: "Yeah, what of it?!"
Barman: "She very good at expressing her affection for her friends, she's my girl, your girl, everybody's girl."
Rod: "So you're saying that you and all the other people that have come in this here bar have been with her? But no-one's come in here for days... APART FROM A COUPLE OF PISS-HEADS!"
Piss-head: "She 'ad lovely tight cheeks"
Sailor: "Not after I saw to her"
Rod was furious, Rod said to Miranda:
Rod: "How could you do this to me?"
Miranda: "Because of you, my whole life changed"
Rod: "So you have the confidence to disgrace yourself? No longer do I want to be a slave."
Miranda: "What? What did you say?"
Asked Miranda, would she say sorry:
Miranda: "You're weird, stay away from me"
So he put some laxatives in their tea.... and he was all alone again.
Lyrics submitted by noneedfordav
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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Ebba Grön
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
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.
nah.
I think it's about a loser called Rodney. No message just a kinda sad but funny story.