"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.
I crashed in the jungle while trying to keep a date,
With my little girl who was back in the States.
I was stranded in the jungle, afraid and alone,
Trying to figure a way to get a message back home.
But how was I to know that the wreckage of my plane
Had been picked up and spotted, and my girl in Lover's Lane?
And meanwhile, back in the States
Baby, baby, let's make romance,
You know, your old-time lover hasn't got a chance.
He's stranded in the jungle, glad as he can be,
So come on pretty baby, just you and me.
And meanwhile, back in the jungle
The boys in the jungle had me on the run,
When something heavy hit me like an atomic bomb.
When I woke up and my head started to clear,
I had a strange feeling I was with cooking gear.
I smelled something cooking, and I looked to see
That's when I found out they was cooking me.
And meanwhile, back in the States
Baby, baby, let's make romance,
You know, your old-time lover hasn't got a chance.
He's stranded in the jungle, glad as he can be,
So come on pretty baby, just you and me.
And meanwhile, back in the jungle
I jumped out of the pot and finally got away,
Frantic and worried about what my baby would say.
So I jumped in the ocean and started to swim,
But my chance of survival was getting mighty slim.
So I thumbed down a whale who was heading my way
And I reached the States in about half a day.
And when I got to Lover's Lane, I was almost dead.
But my soul was gone and here's what I said:
Baby, baby, the man is no good.
Oh baby, baby, you should have understood.
You can trust me as long as you need,
So come back pretty baby where you used to be 'cause I love you.
Yeah, I love you.
Oh I love you.
With my little girl who was back in the States.
I was stranded in the jungle, afraid and alone,
Trying to figure a way to get a message back home.
But how was I to know that the wreckage of my plane
Had been picked up and spotted, and my girl in Lover's Lane?
And meanwhile, back in the States
Baby, baby, let's make romance,
You know, your old-time lover hasn't got a chance.
He's stranded in the jungle, glad as he can be,
So come on pretty baby, just you and me.
And meanwhile, back in the jungle
The boys in the jungle had me on the run,
When something heavy hit me like an atomic bomb.
When I woke up and my head started to clear,
I had a strange feeling I was with cooking gear.
I smelled something cooking, and I looked to see
That's when I found out they was cooking me.
And meanwhile, back in the States
Baby, baby, let's make romance,
You know, your old-time lover hasn't got a chance.
He's stranded in the jungle, glad as he can be,
So come on pretty baby, just you and me.
And meanwhile, back in the jungle
I jumped out of the pot and finally got away,
Frantic and worried about what my baby would say.
So I jumped in the ocean and started to swim,
But my chance of survival was getting mighty slim.
So I thumbed down a whale who was heading my way
And I reached the States in about half a day.
And when I got to Lover's Lane, I was almost dead.
But my soul was gone and here's what I said:
Baby, baby, the man is no good.
Oh baby, baby, you should have understood.
You can trust me as long as you need,
So come back pretty baby where you used to be 'cause I love you.
Yeah, I love you.
Oh I love you.
Lyrics submitted by skacore_dude
Stranded in the Jungle Lyrics as written by James Escar Johnson Ernestine Smith
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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,
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.
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.
i can't believe no one has commented on this song, its a great song and funny too!
It's really good, but i prefer the New York Dolls version beter
whose the original band to do this?
The Jayhawks and The Cadets in 1956<br /> songfacts.com/detail.php<br />
I really enjoy the interplay between the two characters in the song. Quite impressive, and I think the Skulls actually did a pretty good job at giving it an contemporary sound (though still obvious an doo-woop song at heart)