"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.
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
(Change) sha, sha (change) ba-da (change), sha-ba-da-ca, (change) feel good
(Change) sha, sha (change) ba-da (change), sha-ba-da-ca, (change) feel good
City's breaking down on a camel's back
They just have to go 'cause they don't know whack
So while you fill the streets, it's appealing to see
You won't get undercounted 'cause you're damned and free
You got a new horizon, it's ephemeral style
A melancholy town where we never smile
And all I wanna hear is the message beep
My dreams, they got her kissing, 'cause I don't get sleep, no
Windmill, windmill for the land
Turn forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is ticking, falling down
Love forever, love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?
Laughin' gas these hazmats, fast cats
Linin' 'em up like ass cracks
Play these ponies at the track
It's my chocolate attack
Shit, I'm steppin' in the heart of this here (yeah)
Care Bear rappin' in harder this year (yeah)
Watch me as I gravitate, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Yo, we gon' ghost town this Motown
With yo' sound, you in the blink
Gon' bite the dust, can't fight with us
With yo' sound, you kill the Inc.
So don't stop, get it, get it (get it)
Until you're cheddar headed
And watch the way I navigate, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha (ha, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha)
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Windmill, windmill for the land
Turn forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is ticking, falling down
Love forever, love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?
Don't stop, get it, get it
Peep how your captain's in it (feel good)
Steady, watch me navigate, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! (Feel good)
Don't stop, get it, get it
Peep how your captain's in it (feel good)
Steady, watch me navigate, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! (Feel good)
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
(Change) sha, sha (change) ba-da (change), sha-ba-da-ca, (change) feel good
(Change) sha, sha (change) ba-da (change), sha-ba-da-ca, (change) feel good
City's breaking down on a camel's back
They just have to go 'cause they don't know whack
So while you fill the streets, it's appealing to see
You won't get undercounted 'cause you're damned and free
You got a new horizon, it's ephemeral style
A melancholy town where we never smile
And all I wanna hear is the message beep
My dreams, they got her kissing, 'cause I don't get sleep, no
Windmill, windmill for the land
Turn forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is ticking, falling down
Love forever, love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?
Laughin' gas these hazmats, fast cats
Linin' 'em up like ass cracks
Play these ponies at the track
It's my chocolate attack
Shit, I'm steppin' in the heart of this here (yeah)
Care Bear rappin' in harder this year (yeah)
Watch me as I gravitate, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Yo, we gon' ghost town this Motown
With yo' sound, you in the blink
Gon' bite the dust, can't fight with us
With yo' sound, you kill the Inc.
So don't stop, get it, get it (get it)
Until you're cheddar headed
And watch the way I navigate, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha (ha, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha)
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Windmill, windmill for the land
Turn forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is ticking, falling down
Love forever, love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?
Don't stop, get it, get it
Peep how your captain's in it (feel good)
Steady, watch me navigate, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! (Feel good)
Don't stop, get it, get it
Peep how your captain's in it (feel good)
Steady, watch me navigate, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! (Feel good)
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Sha, sha-ba-da, sha-ba-da-ca, feel good
Lyrics submitted by Cori_Pea, edited by skelealpha, Pooer, vincent148, vinuaw, DragonSongZara, Foxfire87, alfbread
Feel Good Inc. Lyrics as written by Damon Albarn Brian Burton
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Exploration Group LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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:
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Head > Heels
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“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I remember watching this video and listening to the song a long time ago when I was younger, and I remember loving it for some strange reason even though I had no interest in the genre nor the group at the time.
But now that I'm older I revisited the video on Youtube and read the comments here, and I've finally come up with what I think this song and video really mean.
So the video begins with a scene of a dismal, dark, rusty city plagued by the sound of police sirens and helicopters, and you even hear a gun being shot. Then, there's a cloud layer, Above that layer is the Feel Good Inc. tower.
I assume this little clip is showing how the violence and killing is very separated from the tower of pleasure/cheap thrills/etc... Everyone in the tower is cut off from the reality below. Literally, their heads are in the clouds.
Then we are shown the inside of the tower. Dead bodies are everywhere and the only one that stands out is 2D. Then, he raises his head a mutters, "Feel Good". Then he starts to get out of the chair. That screen with the rapping guy (symbolically the media, I assume) is in the background.
2D is stuck in this 'dead' place, and suddenly begins to realize that something isn't right. He finally understands that he's trapped within the guy on the screen's "spell". All the dead people are symbols for the majority of society that's already died from the "spell".
Then 2D pops in with a microphone, telling everybody something:
"City's breaking down on a camel's back." From research, I've found out that a camel traditionally represents humility and the willingness to serve. So basically, the city is breaking down on the people's willingness to serve them and to not think beyond what they're told.
"They just have to go 'cause they don't know whack" I assume this is 2D quoting the corrupting leaders who tell them not to think for themselves and telling them that anyone who does, doesn't know "whack". AKA, they don't know what they're talking about.
"So all you fill the streets it's appealing to see" I think this line is 2D telling them that them going with the flow of the leaders is funny; he thinks it's ridiculous.
"You won't get out the county, 'cause you're bad and free" This is a weird line, but I'm gonna guess that it's 2D mocking the leaders once again; I assume in the past the leaders have told them that they can't escape just because they're 'misbehaving' and trying to be free.
"You've got a new horizon It's ephemeral style." 2D is now telling them that what they're working toward is ridiculous; that it's ephemeral, meaning only lasting one day. Basically, their goals are cheap thrills that are short and stupid.
"A melancholy town where we never smile." This is his opinion of the state of the society they live in; they never smile.
"And all I want to hear is the message beep." He admits that he's still under the "spell", that he still wants to follow the leaders' messages, he's falling again.
"My dreams, they've got to kiss, because I don't get sleep, no" Basically he's saying that his dreams have to kiss his ass, or say goodbye, because he can't reach them without sleep.
An interesting part of this segment is that 2D's eyes are red, the same as the color of the rest of the dead people. AKA while their entire bodies are already tainted by the red, only his eyes (his soul) has been. The red starts to fade from his eyes. Another cool thing is how the word "Owl" is on his microphone. Owls symbolize wisdom, AKA 2D is speaking through wisdom.
Then comes the first chorus, where 2D looks out the window onto a skyscape full of bright, soft colors and only the windmill appears above the clouds. I assume that the windmill represents the state of mind/land he wants to live in, but there's that glass window/barrier that keeps him stuck. The windmill goes beneath the clouds AKA out of his mind, and the bright colors switch to dark and the helicopters appear once more.
"Windmill, Windmill for the land." Windmills turn air, correct? Traditionally, air represented intellect, ideas, and most of all freedom. That windmill on that island is generating that freedom. AKA the intellect and new ideas are bringing forth a new freedom. Windmills also have been thought to symbolize bringing about a transformation; from a hard grain that can only be used to reproduce into flour that can support and feed people. I assume that 2D is like the grain, wanting to become useful and not just a sex-obsessed slave. He wants this thought process, the windmill, to be 'for the land' AKA he wants everyone to have this better thought process.
"Learn forever hand in hand" He wants to society to keep learning more and more and not be stuck in one mindset. When one doesn't learn, they cannot understand. He wants them all to learn and understand together 'hand in hand'.
"Take it all in on your stride" 2D wants them to use this philosophy in their stride AKA their lives.
"It is sinking, falling down" 2D's either commenting on the windmill falling or society falling, or even maybe his strive for that new way of living is fading.
"Love forever love is screaming" Because of their fickle and physical obsessions, love has been forgotten.
"Let's turn forever you and me" As I said before, he wants to become the windmill, as in wanting to live in that new way and transform other 'grains' into 'flour'. He's telling the viewer that they both should turn and make others realize what's happening.
"Windmill, windmill for the land" Same as above.
"Is everybody in?" He's asking everyone if they want to follow this new way with him.
Then the rapper 'leader; appears on the screen and starts speaking to 2D. 2D instantly turns around and his attention is captured. Then as the rap goes on he keeps moving robotically, as if he is programmed that way. As it goes on, 2D starts getting that red hue on his skin again. Then he starts the "Feel Good" chant once more.
"Laughing gas these hazmats, fast cats," Hazmats are hazardous materials or substances, laughing gas is a drug that makes people laugh, and fast cats I assume mean just things that move fast like modern communication, cars, technology, etc... This is what the leaders use to trap people.
"Lining them up-a like ass cracks," The leaders are saying that the people line up the stuff mentioned above and take them all in excess.
"Ladies, homies, at the track" Ladies means sex appeal, homies means things that are seen as cool, and the track is the mainstream media; all they're shown in the media are those drugs, sex stuff, things considered 'cool' etc.
"It's my chocolate attack." Chocolate, when eaten, makes people release feel good chemicals in their brains. The leaders are saying that letting these people do all these bad things is the leaders' way of attacking them; trapping them with the feel good chemical.
"Shit, I'm stepping in the heart of this here" The leader is mad that he just revealed the way he traps people.
"Care bear bumping in the heart of this here" He's saying that this matter doesn't mean much; it's just soft care bear bumping. He's not doing anything terribly bad.
"Watch me as I gravitate, ha ha ha" He's telling 2D to watch as he pulls more people in, then laughs because he knows 2D can't do anything about it.
"Yo, we gonna go ghost town, This Motown, with yo sound" He's telling 2D that his ramblings are bringing the supposedly 'lively' town down.
"You're in the place You gonna bite the dust Can't fight with us With yo sound, you kill the INC." He tells 2D that he's stuck, he's going to get snuffed out, he can't fight against it, and that his ramblings are killing the bad society.
"So don't stop, get it, get it Until you're jet ahead. Yo, watch the way I navigate, ha ha ha"
He tells 2D don't stop listening to him, keep striving for the cheap thrills and media and to keep following him.
Then the windmill returns with Noodle on the very edge of its island, playing her guitar. She seems carefree and doesn't even notice 2D or the tower at all. That windmill, that way of thinking and living, is what is keeping her island and freedom up. 2D sings the chorus again, looking very depressed and tired, and looks down from the window. Then in the last part of the chorus, Noodle is singing at the same time as him. It's as if he's watching her and imitating her, wanting to be like her and where she is, but is stuck.
Then the island flies by, the light leaves, and darkness shadows the window. 2D becomes red again and starts to fade and sits back in his chair, the leader laughing at his futile attempts at freedom.
Basically, overall, here's the symbolism:
CITY BELOW THE TOWER: Reality. What's really going on. Violence, decay, evil.
CLOUD LAYER: Separates the tower from the city. Separates reality from society.
TOWER: The manufactured and fake happiness, a prison, keeping people from independence and freedom. Corruption. Stuck in the clouds as in stuck in fantasy.
WINDMILL: Generating intellect, freedom, free thinking, etc. Transformation from grain to flour AKA reproductive goals to something that benefits society.
DEAD/ASLEEP PEOPLE: People who have no chance; not only is their soul dead, they're physically dead.
RED: Corruption of the leaders/media. 2D's eyes start from red, to black, to red, and then his skin becomes red.
ISLAND: Place of freedom, love, new ways, thought.
SCREENS: Brings the message from the bad leaders to the people, keeps them under control.
Overall, I think the song means what everyone else has been saying; the media and our leaders are corrupting society and benefiting from it. When someone tries to stand against it, they're brought down. Eventually their soul decays from all these sins; sloth, lust, gluttony, etc.... sex without love, drugs, and fake things, basically.
Whew! Sorry that it's so long, lol.
I think you hit the bulls eye on that one<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <a href=download.cnet.com/Free-Youtube-Downloader-Pro/3000-2071_4-75329731.html >youtube downloader</a>
Amazing, i think that you may be 100% accurate on that
Nice! You almost got them all, one small detail from the video you missed was the nod from bass guitarist and drummer. This basically symbolises that some musical artists are aware of what's going on, and through their music they are encouraging the masses (in this case 2D) to speak up.<br /> <br /> They immediately gaze their attention to 2D when he says "feel good", almost like they are providing him some musical back up. But they them selves do not speak, instead they spread their message through music.<br /> <br /> A second small observation is the faces on the screen. Why use real people in the footage instead of animated? This symbolises that the system of corruption is being controlled by specific people with high position of power, rather than conventions and international organisations. These people are the "animators", they dictate everyone else's lives.<br /> <br /> I talk a lot thanks for reading (:
Isn't the lyric love forever love is free couldn't that mean love is freedome but it is unacheavable wen being controlled by society telling him the opposite ? Idn
@supagamer Another thing to add, notice when 2D first stands up and starts to speak out with his megaphone Murdoc is "activated" almost like a robot and looks at 2D as he does throughout the song. It's almost suggesting, if not blatantly, that music and art is used to manipulate the masses and quell the few gifted with talent and sight to use their medium for a righteous purpose, as 2D was trying to do through standup poetry. Murdoc is the sex god, the medium of their god "De La Soul" and for all intents and purposes the metaphorical representation of the anti-christ shown by the inverted cross on his chest. Great post otherwise!
@supagamer I used to hear this song when I was younger and I hated it but now I love it
@supagamer This is a surpisingly accurate breakdown of the song and video. I completely agree, though there is only one change that I would make. In his second line, 2D says "They just have to go cause they don't know wack". I don't think he is talking about the leaders here, rather the general populace. They were too lazy to put forth an effort in researching what the leaders have been telling them, and blindly followed their own beliefs which were, unknowingly, twisted and distorted by the corrupt leaders' actions and words. At this point they have dug their hole too deep, are are now drowning in their own ignorance. At this point, the leaders and say or do as they please and the general public has no choice but to blindly follow along. This is proven by the rap itself, the man on the screen (representin the media and the leaders) tells 2D exactly what he is doing but he can no longer resit moving along in a robotic motion nonetheless.
@supagamer resist* Excuse the typos, this computer is slow.
@supagamer I like the point you mentioned that the megaphone that 2D uses has the word 'owl' written on it. I know this means wisdom but if you are from the middle-east or have a middle-eastern background (like me) an owl is stupid and dumb and to call someone an owl is offensive. So if you think of it that way it changes the whole meaning to the song! I just thought you should know that the gorillaz were a little bit biased in thinking that tge whole workd knows that an owl is supposed to be wise or maybe they just thought only the western world listened to their music. Anyway, im not angry at them <br /> Gorillaz rulz!!
@supagamer <br /> Don't be sorry, THANK YOU. Yes, I felt it all political, corruption, cover ups, immunity with money and status, but you nailed it. <br /> Now where did they go??? things that make you go HMMMM<br /> TY
@supagamer OH. MY. GOD. mindblown!!
@supagamer One thing I noticed in the animation within the first 40 seconds of the video in the tower is that there is a man laying down with a woman stroking his chest. Around his neck he is wearing an upside down cross. Maybe the messaged that can be inferred here is that we are subdued and seduced by the sinful activity that the anti-christ attempts to lay upon us. Also, I think that the owl on the microphone symbolizes that the media will try to make you look dumb or crazy if you attempt to speak out. Idk, just my thoughts. Great post though!
@supagamer First of all: what an excellent interpretation!!! ...I didn't know how complex and interesting song it was... I started to listen Gorillaz properly and, finally think they're one of the best bands ever!
@supagamer The lyrical themes of the song revolve around isolation and escapism.The main themes of the video are intellectual freedom and the media's dumbing down of mass culture.In the video, 2D wants the freedom to join Noodle on her floating island. The characters lying on the floor represent those who have already been "dumbed down", while the band members are the ones who have awakened. 2D is trying to wake all the people from their half-dead state by yelling at them through his thingy, in the style of a political activist
@moriah1155<br /> Your probabily not familiar with the band, seeing your comment, but the backstory is that the man with the upsidedown cross, Murdoc, is a known Satanist. He also has a really active sex life.<br /> Most videos, hes almost completly naked, so it doesnt really suprise anyone that hes sitting there, with his instrument, covered in women.
I'd like to point out that at the end, 2D's skin is not red
@supagamer I believe one can compare the song with Huxley's Brave New World.