"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 want to go to Magnolia Mountain
And lay my weary head down
Down on the rocks
Of the mountain my savior made
Steady my soul and ease my worry
Hold me when I rattle like a hummingbird hummin'
Tie me to the rocks of the mountain my savior made
Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song until the morning comes
And if the morning come, will you lie to me?
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
Til' I'm heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
Please
I want to be the bluebird singin'
Singin' to the roses in her yard
The roses in her yard her father grew for her
It's been raining like Tennessee honey
So long I got too heavy to fly
Ain't no bluebird ever gets too heavy to sing
Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song until the morning comes
And if the morning don't come, will you lie to me?
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
'Til I'm heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
Please
Please
We burn the cotton fields down in the valley
And ended up with nothing but scars
The scars became the lessons that we gave to our children after the war
There ain't nothing but the truth up on Magnolia Mountain
Where nobody ever dies
Steady your soul and ease your worry
They got a room for you
Lie to me like I lie to you
Calm me down until the morning comes
And if the morning don't come
Lie to me
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
All heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
For us
Please
For us
For me
For us
For me
And lay my weary head down
Down on the rocks
Of the mountain my savior made
Steady my soul and ease my worry
Hold me when I rattle like a hummingbird hummin'
Tie me to the rocks of the mountain my savior made
Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song until the morning comes
And if the morning come, will you lie to me?
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
Til' I'm heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
Please
I want to be the bluebird singin'
Singin' to the roses in her yard
The roses in her yard her father grew for her
It's been raining like Tennessee honey
So long I got too heavy to fly
Ain't no bluebird ever gets too heavy to sing
Lie to me
Sing me a song
Sing me a song until the morning comes
And if the morning don't come, will you lie to me?
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
'Til I'm heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
Please
Please
We burn the cotton fields down in the valley
And ended up with nothing but scars
The scars became the lessons that we gave to our children after the war
There ain't nothing but the truth up on Magnolia Mountain
Where nobody ever dies
Steady your soul and ease your worry
They got a room for you
Lie to me like I lie to you
Calm me down until the morning comes
And if the morning don't come
Lie to me
Will you take me to your bed?
Will you lay me down?
All heavy like the rocks in the riverbed
That my savior made
For us
Please
For us
For me
For us
For me
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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,
Probably waaay too literal of an interpretation, but there's a place in NC called Mountain Magnolia Inn. Maybe reversed it cause it sounds better? "They got a room for you." There's a hot springs (rocks and riverbed references) and it was built in 1868, just after the civil war. "We burned the cotton fields down in the valley / And ended up with nothing but scars / The scars became lessons / that we gave to our children / After the war." Who knows with Adams? He is brilliant but has a lot of obscure references, but you don't have to understand all the lyrics to enjoy the songs because he is talented.