"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.
Take a walk down memory lane with me
Past a watermelon stand on the way
Thinking I had everything we'd need
On Martha's foolish ginger
You were late
How could I forget what you said-
The part about that
"Love taking over your life"
Was not your plan
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
Through the cliffs
Out of the bay I went
From the starboard side
I could black my visions and my passions-
They keep me awake
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
A familiar voice
"Hi. Surprise.
I've been searching trying to find you"
I couldn't speak
My hands reached for Martha's foolish ginger
We talked until the moon came up
About how life without love
Isn't worth very much
Then I played this song
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
What I would have done
What I would have done
"Memories that we have yet" you said
"To make like our Burning Bed..."
Love, don't mistake that it wasn't safe
On Martha's foolish ginger.
Past a watermelon stand on the way
Thinking I had everything we'd need
On Martha's foolish ginger
You were late
How could I forget what you said-
The part about that
"Love taking over your life"
Was not your plan
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
Through the cliffs
Out of the bay I went
From the starboard side
I could black my visions and my passions-
They keep me awake
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
A familiar voice
"Hi. Surprise.
I've been searching trying to find you"
I couldn't speak
My hands reached for Martha's foolish ginger
We talked until the moon came up
About how life without love
Isn't worth very much
Then I played this song
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
If those harbor lights had just been a half a mile inland
Who knows what I would have done
What I would have done
What I would have done
"Memories that we have yet" you said
"To make like our Burning Bed..."
Love, don't mistake that it wasn't safe
On Martha's foolish ginger.
Lyrics submitted by merchantpierce
Martha's Foolish Ginger Lyrics as written by Tori Ellen Amos
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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i'm completely at a loss as to what the specifics of the lyrics could mean, as i usually am with tori songs, but certainly different parts of the lyrics struck a chord with me, as usual with tori songs. "if those harbour lights had just been / a half a mile inland / who knows what I would have done." If circumstances hadn't been just as they were, i.e. if we hadn't met or whate have you, what would i have done? where would i be? seems like it's an utterance of gratitude tinged with sorrow... like a "thank God I found you." plus, thanks to juzevo, we know the title refers to a boat; so, imagery of being at sea suggests rootless wandering. the harbour lights brought her in safe...
unlike most people, i find the beekeeper to be one of my favorite tori albums. there is such soft, subtle beauty to these songs.