"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.
Cuddled through a cold womb he was
Pitch black and without sunshine rays
Hell patiently awaiting him on blood spilled soil
A noble grief stirred heart, always ready to die
In sinister systematisation, submission is golden
As an apprentice to violence, slaughter and bloodshed
He was like an object that is being processed
A force-fed destructor ready for abomination
The vast solitude in him witnessed it all
Those self afflicting eyes
And their fear painted faces
Made out of utter discipline, failure unacceptable
Hosts to oblivion
Exploring the darkest of places
Stench of rotten flesh breathing down his neck
Every day seemed like an endless night
When would he ever wake from this void
No other voice than his own will ever tell
What was real and where he had been
What he had done
Did you bleed for the cause
Like the rest of his men
Did you capture the euphoria
How it was like to kill
Such a necromantic force behind it all
They sure did battle till the end
But when came all the glory
And who got spared to carry his body
Just pure death and too profound to be shared
Was it all a fabricated vision in his memory
To serve the wastelands of insanity
At the front
Life forever lost its innocence
Never to see the light of day again
He pondered his last few steps
Into the realms of death
With his hands bloodstained
Courage and consistency
Bravery and valor
Honor and pride
For what was it all worth
For what was it all worth
Pitch black and without sunshine rays
Hell patiently awaiting him on blood spilled soil
A noble grief stirred heart, always ready to die
In sinister systematisation, submission is golden
As an apprentice to violence, slaughter and bloodshed
He was like an object that is being processed
A force-fed destructor ready for abomination
The vast solitude in him witnessed it all
Those self afflicting eyes
And their fear painted faces
Made out of utter discipline, failure unacceptable
Hosts to oblivion
Exploring the darkest of places
Stench of rotten flesh breathing down his neck
Every day seemed like an endless night
When would he ever wake from this void
No other voice than his own will ever tell
What was real and where he had been
What he had done
Did you bleed for the cause
Like the rest of his men
Did you capture the euphoria
How it was like to kill
Such a necromantic force behind it all
They sure did battle till the end
But when came all the glory
And who got spared to carry his body
Just pure death and too profound to be shared
Was it all a fabricated vision in his memory
To serve the wastelands of insanity
At the front
Life forever lost its innocence
Never to see the light of day again
He pondered his last few steps
Into the realms of death
With his hands bloodstained
Courage and consistency
Bravery and valor
Honor and pride
For what was it all worth
For what was it all worth
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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/
Yeah, I get a very militaristic vibe from DCA, related to a fictional futuristic apocalyptic narrative.
I despise that stupid intro to this song, though.