"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.
You are a getaway car, a rush of blood to the head
But me, I'm just the covers on top of your bed
You steer in a rear-view mirror, make my head swim
I'll keep you warm and won't ask you where you've been
With your backless black dress soaked to the skin
When it's said and done, they're all scrambling
And we're friends, we're friends
Just because we move units
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
Such a shame
The sounds of this small town make my ears hurt (make my ears hurt)
Oh yeah, you caught me, but I caught you one worse
They say, "You want a war? You've got a war"
But who are you fighting for?
The tide's out, the ship's run aground
We drown traitors in shallow water
With your backless black dress soaked to the skin
When it's said and done, they're all scrambling
And we're friends, we're friends
Just because we move units
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
Such a shame
Everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames, but it's such a shame
Such a shame
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
But me, I'm just the covers on top of your bed
You steer in a rear-view mirror, make my head swim
I'll keep you warm and won't ask you where you've been
With your backless black dress soaked to the skin
When it's said and done, they're all scrambling
And we're friends, we're friends
Just because we move units
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
Such a shame
The sounds of this small town make my ears hurt (make my ears hurt)
Oh yeah, you caught me, but I caught you one worse
They say, "You want a war? You've got a war"
But who are you fighting for?
The tide's out, the ship's run aground
We drown traitors in shallow water
With your backless black dress soaked to the skin
When it's said and done, they're all scrambling
And we're friends, we're friends
Just because we move units
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
Such a shame
Everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames, but it's such a shame
Such a shame
Strike us like matches 'cause everyone deserves the flames
We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame
At least everyone is trying, everyone is shining
Everyone deserves the flames but it's such a shame
Lyrics submitted by BrandNew1208, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for My Sham Friends Lyrics as written by Joseph Mark Trohman Andrew John Hurley
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for My Sham Friends song meanings
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Fast Car
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Yo La Tengo
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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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
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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.
Punchline
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Head > Heels
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\"Strike us like matches, cause everyone deserves the flames We only do it for the scars and stories, not the fame At least everyone else is trying, everyone is shining Everyone deserves the flames but it\'s such a shame, such a shame\" I think this saying that some bands play music just for money and fame, while others like it just for the experiences. Also, \"At least everyone else is trying, everyone is shining Everyone deserves the flames but it\'s such a shame, such a shame.\" Perhaps talking about the bands that are talented and love what they do but they don\'t get noticed. And they shouldn\'t give up.
I just got this album for Christmas, and now I'm going through the lyrics for each song. I kinda don't like how most of the songs are loaded with sexual innuendo, but hey, whatever.
I just wanted to stop by and point out that the second line reads "a rush of blood to the head", which is the name of a song and album by Coldplay. Personally, I love Coldplay to death, so I looked through these lyrics to see if I could find a cross-reference.
After going through and reading the comments, I think that this could also be an off-hand way to say how awful Coldplay's 2005 album "X&Y" was. I personally liked "X&Y", but any Coldplay fan will admit that it was nowhere near as good as "A Rush of Blood to the Head", which is the album that really landed Coldplay in the public scene.
So using Coldplay as an example, maybe F.O.B. is saying how so many bands try so hard to be better than their last big hit, and then it turns out terribly...I don't know. Any thoughts?
It seems the speaker is sleeping with this girl with no strings attached . " i keep you warm and won't ask you where you've been." "And we're friends, yeah we're friends Just because we move units" sounds like 'moving furniture' in my mind so theyre just friends just because they do it basically.
he mainly uses her as a form of escape so to speak. shes his getaway car " You are a getaway car, a rush of blood to the head"
The black dress thing is probably an allusion to sweaty sex.
The strike us like matches means sparking their fame, flames seem to represent popularity. Everyone deserves the flames, and everyone is trying and its a shame most don't ever get popular.
@lesbifobfans I always thought the lyric<br /> "We're friends just because we move units" meant that they were only friends because they drank a lot together and got drunk together (units being units of alcohol and moving them meaning drinking them (moving them down your throat?)) just my interpretation though
awesome song
great song. awesome addition to the upcoming album!! cant wait!
Did this song used to be called Snitches And Talkers Make Stitches And Walkers? They sound very similar
nooo snitches and talkers make stiches and walkers is also called "I liked you a whole lot better before you became a fucking myspace whore", and along with "we don't take hits, we write them", they wont be on the new cd :( lol, but oh well
Does noone realize how Clever and great the title of this song is? This is so amazing... I must say, FOB hasn't let me down any...
the title of this song is taken from the amazing movie 25th hour starring edward norton and rosario dawson
but i caught you ON worse AND at least everyone is trying NOT everyone else