"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.
Did you find what you were looking for
And did you hear what you needed to hear
And did I serve you well, did I serve you well
Did I serve any purpose, any one at all
Did you come for redemption or a resurrection
Mayhaps a bandage for a gaping wound
I know I put one there
Or perhaps you were bored
Or mayhaps you were confused
Did I serve any purpose, any one at all
A crown of thorns would suit you well
You hang there at a loss
A crown of thorns would suit you
I'd shake your hands if they weren't nailed to a cross
I don't want to believe (this is the end)
I don't want to believe
I don't want to believe
I don't want to believe
I don't want you to leave
And is that, is that all
Is that, is that all you wanted
Is that, is that all you wanted me to know
Is that, is that all
I don't mind you dragging me around
And I don't mind as long as I know where you're taking me
And did I serve you well, did I serve you well
Did I serve any purpose, anyone at all
A crown of thorns would suit me well
I hang here at a loss
A crown of thorns would suit me
I'd lend a hand if it weren't nailed to a cross
I don't want to believe
I don't want to believe
I don't want you to leave me here nailed to this question mark
I don't want to believe
I don't want to believe
I don't want you to leave
And is that, is that all (this is the end)
Is that, is that all you wanted
Is that, is that all you wanted me to know
Is that, is that all you had to tell me
And did you hear what you needed to hear
And did I serve you well, did I serve you well
Did I serve any purpose, any one at all
Did you come for redemption or a resurrection
Mayhaps a bandage for a gaping wound
I know I put one there
Or perhaps you were bored
Or mayhaps you were confused
Did I serve any purpose, any one at all
A crown of thorns would suit you well
You hang there at a loss
A crown of thorns would suit you
I'd shake your hands if they weren't nailed to a cross
I don't want to believe (this is the end)
I don't want to believe
I don't want to believe
I don't want to believe
I don't want you to leave
And is that, is that all
Is that, is that all you wanted
Is that, is that all you wanted me to know
Is that, is that all
I don't mind you dragging me around
And I don't mind as long as I know where you're taking me
And did I serve you well, did I serve you well
Did I serve any purpose, anyone at all
A crown of thorns would suit me well
I hang here at a loss
A crown of thorns would suit me
I'd lend a hand if it weren't nailed to a cross
I don't want to believe
I don't want to believe
I don't want you to leave me here nailed to this question mark
I don't want to believe
I don't want to believe
I don't want you to leave
And is that, is that all (this is the end)
Is that, is that all you wanted
Is that, is that all you wanted me to know
Is that, is that all you had to tell me
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
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/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Voltaire talked about this song in his message list a few years ago when this album came out. He said it was about having a fling with an ex after not dating them for a while. They came back into the narrator's life but left soon after that, leaving the narrator with questions of what the hell that was all about. Was it "redemption or a resurrection" and did he and the fling 'serve any purpose to anyone at all". The ex, and the narrator to some extent, had a big martyr complex, so that explains the Jesus on the cross metaphor.
Two youths are forced to seperate, in spite of their love for one another. Neither of them have ever spoken their love to the other and each lives in doubt that the other returns their feelings of love. When they have to be seperated they each approach and say goodbye, unwilling do drag this moment out, each willing to shout "I love you!" but they are unable to bring themselves to let their gaurd down and spout such feelings. They seperate and each one wonders what the other truly wished to say to them, they wonder this forevermore.
it's such a sad song. :.(..
I'm really not sure you;re right Dullahan. There's some heavy christian imagery in this song and that doesn't come into your theory at all. Resurrection, redemption and the whole chorus.
It's called believe for Christ's sake.
I believe (no pun intended) that "The-Dullahan Is right. While "TaintedDeity" is partly right. Maybe Voltaire is writing about two lovers..but maybe one is comparing her to christ.. like how angelic he or she is.
Go back and read it again, but this time imagine Judas singing to Jesus.