"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.
You better listen my brother
'cause if you do you can hear
There are voices still callin' from across the years
And they're cryin' across the ocean
And they're cryin' across the land
And they will until we all come to understand
That none of us are free
None of us are free
None of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
Well there are people in the darkness
And they just can't see the light
And if we don't say it's wrong then that says it's right
We got to feel for each other
Let our brothers know we're here
Got to get the message and send it out loud and clear
That none of us are free
None of us are free
None of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
Well it's the single truth
We all need to see
That none of are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
Well I swear to you salvation isn't very hard to find
None of us can find it on our own
We got to join together. Spirit, heart and mind
All the are suffering, knows they're not alone
None of us are free
None of us are free
If you just look around you
You're see what I say
'cause the world's gettin' smaller each passin' day
Now it's time to make some changes
Now it's time all realized
That the truth is shinin' right before our eyes
'cause none of us are free
None of us are free
None of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
Well it's the very heart of humanity
'cause none of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
None of us, none of us
None of us, none of us
None of us, none of us are free
None of us, none of us
None of us, none of us
None of us, none of us are free
None of us are free
None of us are free
None of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
'cause it's the very truth
We all need to see
That none of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
'cause if you do you can hear
There are voices still callin' from across the years
And they're cryin' across the ocean
And they're cryin' across the land
And they will until we all come to understand
That none of us are free
None of us are free
None of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
Well there are people in the darkness
And they just can't see the light
And if we don't say it's wrong then that says it's right
We got to feel for each other
Let our brothers know we're here
Got to get the message and send it out loud and clear
That none of us are free
None of us are free
None of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
Well it's the single truth
We all need to see
That none of are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
Well I swear to you salvation isn't very hard to find
None of us can find it on our own
We got to join together. Spirit, heart and mind
All the are suffering, knows they're not alone
None of us are free
None of us are free
If you just look around you
You're see what I say
'cause the world's gettin' smaller each passin' day
Now it's time to make some changes
Now it's time all realized
That the truth is shinin' right before our eyes
'cause none of us are free
None of us are free
None of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
Well it's the very heart of humanity
'cause none of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
None of us, none of us
None of us, none of us
None of us, none of us are free
None of us, none of us
None of us, none of us
None of us, none of us are free
None of us are free
None of us are free
None of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
'cause it's the very truth
We all need to see
That none of us are free if one of us is chained
None of us are free
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
None of Us Are Free Lyrics as written by Cynthia Weil Barry Mann
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, DYAD Music Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
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"
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
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.
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.