"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 remember
When you used to take me on a bike ride every day on the Bayou (you remember that?)
(We were inseparable)
And I remember when you could do no wrong
You'd come home from work
And I jumped in your arms when I saw you (I was so excited)
I was so happy (so happy to see you, so happy to see you)
To see you
Because you loved me I overcome, yeah
And I'm so proud of what you've become, yeah
You've given me such security
No matter what mistakes I make you're there for me
You cure my disappointments and you heal my pain
You understood my biz and you protected me
I treasure every irreplaceable memory and that's why
I want
My unborn son
To be like my daddy
I want my husband to be like my daddy
There is no one else like my daddy
And I thank you (thank you)
For lovin' me (daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy)
(Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy) me (lovin' me)
(Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy) (lovin' me)
(Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy)
I still remember the expression on your face
When you found out I'd been on a date and had a boyfriend, oh
(My first boyfriend, you should've seen your face)
I still remember I called you cryin' 'cause of my tattoo
Could have said, "Beyoncé, I told ya so"
Instead you said you'd get one too, hey
(You and my momma said y'all'd get one just like mine)
Words can't express my boundless gratitude for you
I appreciate what you do, oh whoa
You've given me such security
No matter what mistakes I know you're there for me
You cure my disappointments and you'll heal my pain
You understood by biz and you protected me
I treasure every extraordinary memory, that's why
My unborn son
To be like my daddy
I want my husband to be like my daddy
There is no one else like my daddy
And I thank you (thank you) for loving me
Even if my man broke my heart today
No matter how much pain I'm in I would be okay, oh
'Cause I got a man in my life that can't be replaced
Father's love is unconditional, it won't go away
And I know I'm lucky (lucky)
Know it ain't easy (it ain't easy)
Men who take care of their responsibilities
Love is overwhelming
All that you did pay for me, ah
Can't stop my tears from falling
I love you so much, daddy
Thank you (my unborn son to be like my daddy)
You've done so much for me (want my husband to be like my daddy)
I love you, daddy
I get so emotional, daddy (there is no one else like my daddy)
Every time I think of you
I get so emotional, daddy (and I thank you)
Every time I think of you
There is no one else like my daddy
No one else will replace my daddy (there is no one else like my daddy)
Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy
When you used to take me on a bike ride every day on the Bayou (you remember that?)
(We were inseparable)
And I remember when you could do no wrong
You'd come home from work
And I jumped in your arms when I saw you (I was so excited)
I was so happy (so happy to see you, so happy to see you)
To see you
Because you loved me I overcome, yeah
And I'm so proud of what you've become, yeah
You've given me such security
No matter what mistakes I make you're there for me
You cure my disappointments and you heal my pain
You understood my biz and you protected me
I treasure every irreplaceable memory and that's why
I want
My unborn son
To be like my daddy
I want my husband to be like my daddy
There is no one else like my daddy
And I thank you (thank you)
For lovin' me (daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy)
(Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy) me (lovin' me)
(Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy) (lovin' me)
(Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy)
I still remember the expression on your face
When you found out I'd been on a date and had a boyfriend, oh
(My first boyfriend, you should've seen your face)
I still remember I called you cryin' 'cause of my tattoo
Could have said, "Beyoncé, I told ya so"
Instead you said you'd get one too, hey
(You and my momma said y'all'd get one just like mine)
Words can't express my boundless gratitude for you
I appreciate what you do, oh whoa
You've given me such security
No matter what mistakes I know you're there for me
You cure my disappointments and you'll heal my pain
You understood by biz and you protected me
I treasure every extraordinary memory, that's why
My unborn son
To be like my daddy
I want my husband to be like my daddy
There is no one else like my daddy
And I thank you (thank you) for loving me
Even if my man broke my heart today
No matter how much pain I'm in I would be okay, oh
'Cause I got a man in my life that can't be replaced
Father's love is unconditional, it won't go away
And I know I'm lucky (lucky)
Know it ain't easy (it ain't easy)
Men who take care of their responsibilities
Love is overwhelming
All that you did pay for me, ah
Can't stop my tears from falling
I love you so much, daddy
Thank you (my unborn son to be like my daddy)
You've done so much for me (want my husband to be like my daddy)
I love you, daddy
I get so emotional, daddy (there is no one else like my daddy)
Every time I think of you
I get so emotional, daddy (and I thank you)
Every time I think of you
There is no one else like my daddy
No one else will replace my daddy (there is no one else like my daddy)
Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
I love this song!