"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.
Working the village shop
Putting a poster up
Dreaming of anything
Dreaming of the time when you're free
From all the trouble you're in
In the mud, on your knees
Trying hard not to please
Anyone, all the time
Being a rebel is fine
But you go all the way to being brutal
You will have a boy tonight
You will have a boy tonight
On the first bus out of town
On the first bus out of town
Let's see your kit for games
All the girls look the same
You are challenging style for running miles
You're running miles in some boy's jumper
Boo to the business world!
You know a girl who's tax free
On her back and making plenty cash
While you are working for the joy of giving
You will have a boy tonight
You will have a boy tonight
On the last bus out of town
On the last bus out of town
You will have a boy tonight
You will have a girl tonight
And you hope that they will see
And you hope that they will see
You are in two minds
Tossing a coin to decide
Whether you should tell your folks
About a dose of thrush you got
When were licking railings
But you read in a book
That you got free in Boots
There are lotions, there are potions
You can take to hide your shame
From all those prying eyes
Lazy Jane, all the time
Painting lines
You are sleeping at bus stops
Wondering how you got your name
And what you're going to do about it
You will have a boy tonight
You will have a boy tonight
On the last bus out of town
On the last bus out of town
You will have a boy tonight
Maybe you will have a girl tonight
And you hope that she will see
And you hope that she will see
Putting a poster up
Dreaming of anything
Dreaming of the time when you're free
From all the trouble you're in
In the mud, on your knees
Trying hard not to please
Anyone, all the time
Being a rebel is fine
But you go all the way to being brutal
You will have a boy tonight
You will have a boy tonight
On the first bus out of town
On the first bus out of town
Let's see your kit for games
All the girls look the same
You are challenging style for running miles
You're running miles in some boy's jumper
Boo to the business world!
You know a girl who's tax free
On her back and making plenty cash
While you are working for the joy of giving
You will have a boy tonight
You will have a boy tonight
On the last bus out of town
On the last bus out of town
You will have a boy tonight
You will have a girl tonight
And you hope that they will see
And you hope that they will see
You are in two minds
Tossing a coin to decide
Whether you should tell your folks
About a dose of thrush you got
When were licking railings
But you read in a book
That you got free in Boots
There are lotions, there are potions
You can take to hide your shame
From all those prying eyes
Lazy Jane, all the time
Painting lines
You are sleeping at bus stops
Wondering how you got your name
And what you're going to do about it
You will have a boy tonight
You will have a boy tonight
On the last bus out of town
On the last bus out of town
You will have a boy tonight
Maybe you will have a girl tonight
And you hope that she will see
And you hope that she will see
Lyrics submitted by michaelbondy
Lazy Line Painter Jane Lyrics as written by Isobel Campbell Christopher Geddes
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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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,
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Wu-Tang Clan
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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.
The first time I ever heard this song I thought it was pretty good, cool guitar part, but then Monica Queen's part comes in... I just about jumped out of my skin. I was blown away by her voice and the power she had in the song. This is hands down my favorite Belle and Sebastian song. Did anyone else have the same sort of reaction to the song?