"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.
Safe, safe, enjoy your time feeling so safe,
And treasure that smile on your face, okay?
Because time will see that it's replaced in a while.
So go on, smile.
And handshakes all around: that's your style,
And no one would call it denial,
For you're not even sure what's in store.
And it's more
Than you'll be able to take standing up straight.
And it won't be okay.
And you won't be somebody who it's just happening to,
Because it's a trap that you, and only you,
Have laid. Laid with a towel up over your face,
In your armchair, just lying in wait,
Waiting forces were gathering outside your door.
They sharpened their knives
And smiled with no smiles in their eyes,
A little bit larger in size
And a little bit hungrier for that tiny prize.
And my mother once said
"Son, remember this, no matter what someone did:
That they once were just a kid at breast and in bib,
In blanket and crib.
So just reach inside yourself
And find the part that still needs help,
Find that part in someone else
And you'll do good,"
So I thought that I would.
Hey, I love you,
It goes without saying.
I would give you the world on a tray,
Though they're already tracing a line across your throat.
Far too late in the game you'll find that you have been betrayed:
Propped up and pushed into your place.
I could claim that it all would go great,
But the reason I came
Is to say that it won't.
You should know that it won't,
And so, Phillip, let go.
And treasure that smile on your face, okay?
Because time will see that it's replaced in a while.
So go on, smile.
And handshakes all around: that's your style,
And no one would call it denial,
For you're not even sure what's in store.
And it's more
Than you'll be able to take standing up straight.
And it won't be okay.
And you won't be somebody who it's just happening to,
Because it's a trap that you, and only you,
Have laid. Laid with a towel up over your face,
In your armchair, just lying in wait,
Waiting forces were gathering outside your door.
They sharpened their knives
And smiled with no smiles in their eyes,
A little bit larger in size
And a little bit hungrier for that tiny prize.
And my mother once said
"Son, remember this, no matter what someone did:
That they once were just a kid at breast and in bib,
In blanket and crib.
So just reach inside yourself
And find the part that still needs help,
Find that part in someone else
And you'll do good,"
So I thought that I would.
Hey, I love you,
It goes without saying.
I would give you the world on a tray,
Though they're already tracing a line across your throat.
Far too late in the game you'll find that you have been betrayed:
Propped up and pushed into your place.
I could claim that it all would go great,
But the reason I came
Is to say that it won't.
You should know that it won't,
And so, Phillip, let go.
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
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.
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
I think he's writing this as a father talking to his son, while his son is too young to understand how the world works.