"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.
Baby, remember on the bus and my hand was on your knee
When you love somebody it's hard to think about anything but to breathe
Baby, I am the cub who was washed out in the flood
When you love somebody and bite your tongue all you get is a mouthful of blood
When you love somebody it's hard to think about anything but to breathe
Baby, I am the cub who was washed out in the flood
When you love somebody and bite your tongue all you get is a mouthful of blood
Lyrics submitted by Girlsdontgocrazy
When U Love Somebody Lyrics as written by Gordon Opharel Williams Al Kooper
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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This song's really simple, but, like in life, I think you can find a lot more depth in just the little bits of it.
For example, I think the simplicity of the songs is intentional and builds off of the lyrics. The first line, "Remember on the bus when my hand was on your knee?" quickly reminds me of my school days. PDA was heavily frowned upon by the faculty and the kids would always make a big deal out of it for a couple of weeks, so it was always showing how you felt through the smaller things. School reminds me of more innocent and simpler times, and I think the tone of the song definitely gets that feeling across on its own. Simple and innocent, but still really stimulating. The second line blatantly acknowledges that feeling you get when you're completely engrossed in someone, your heart is racing, your mind is foggy, and you actively have to focus just to do basic things like breathe or walk straight.
Someone above me made a good point: The song can put you in a really good or really sad mood, and I think the the lyrics match that. The first two lines are about the ridiculous amounts of excitement you feel when you're with that special person, and the last two lines seem to focus in a bit more on the hardship of it.
The third line: "I am the cub who was washed out in the flood." So you've got someone who is young and weak torn away from what's comfortable and safe and put in a situation where the odds are heavily against them. There are a lot of emotions and scenarios this could be referring to. Maybe it's talking about how alone you can feel when you know who you're in love with but can't be sure if they feel the same, when you're away from that person you love, or being in that position where it seems like you don't have a chance (i.e. The fat kid going for the pretty girl). That's just naming a few off the top of my head, but of course there could be many more.
The saddest, yet oddly the most encouraging, line in this song is the last line: "When you love somebody and bite your tongue, all you get is a mouth full of blood." It's obviously referring to those times when you aren't open about your feelings for someone. Maybe it's because you feel like it's not worth saying, the person won't care, or it really isn't the time to do so. I think it's one of the most torturous feelings in the world to want to tell someone, "I love you," but feel unable to. Still, despite referencing those difficult times in life where that may happen, I think the song tries to encourage people to not fall into that. It's all about the wording. If it had just said, "You get a mouth full of blood," it'd feel like a solid statement, the end. However, because it says, "ALL you get is a mouthful of blood," it really pushes that feeling of, "Well, that's a pointless thing to do." It emphasizes on not settling for that, and just being open about how you feel. Whatever the result is, it's better than no result at all.
Such a sweet, sweet song. It makes me smile no matter where I am or how I am feeling.
For me, growing up riding the school bus with a boy who was (and still is) my best friend, worst enemy, and absolute love all at the same time. This song, the melody... :) "When you love somebody and bite your tongue all you get is a mouthful of blood"- There's no point in hiding your feelings, because the pain is pointless.
love the feelings of ambivalence i get when i listen to this :) nervous love haha really great interpretation naota and donald!
this song is so cute.
i know, i love songs that capture little moments of affection or nervousness.
you bite your tongue and get a mouthful of blood. like in oldboy.
When U love somebody and bite your tongue all you get a mouthful of blood..... Maybe this means you need to explain your feelings?
That's what I was thinking - normally, "biting your tongue" means not saying something you want to say. But when you love somebody, you can't hold back, so "biting your tongue" can only have its literal meaning - and you end up with a bloody tongue.
But I disagree. I think what they're saying is that you are too nervous to express your feelings so you bite your tongue (figuritivluy). And then they create a metaphore by saying when you do bite your tongue, all you get is a mouthful of blood meaning if you hold back your feelings, nothing good will come from it.
this songggg. easily can make you really happy or really depressed depending on your mood.