"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.
In the night time locks are loosened, bows untied
I shake off my shoes in a travelling way
A day of service done, a closing to the day
I find a blushing message in my mail
And read it as the light begins to fail
A flicker on the screen sets your name dancing
It's a pinch of electricity that answered
Tonight I'll regale other men
With tales that I'll be seeing you again
tonight
I went outside and walked away
I walked onto the road
I took a look at the black ground
From it came this old dreaming house
You helped me line the stones
That mark out this straight walking way
And I hooked up a curtain
To sing behind, to work behind
To fall beneath the night behind
And fling back on a sunday
Tonight I'll regale other men
With tales that I'll be seeing you again
tonight
I read it in a book
Americans could fix it
So that they could float a boat
Down heavy rivers and control it
Then hoist it up on other land
And everything would be as quiet that first evening
As the steadiest before
But our house is made of quarry stones
And mortar rich as much
Brave block stones brought from Mayo in a truck
And it's not going sailing
It's far too well endeared
To this wet blowing field
And to all our neighbours' dreams
Tonight I'll regale other men
With tales that I'll be seeing you again
Tonight
I shake off my shoes in a travelling way
A day of service done, a closing to the day
I find a blushing message in my mail
And read it as the light begins to fail
A flicker on the screen sets your name dancing
It's a pinch of electricity that answered
Tonight I'll regale other men
With tales that I'll be seeing you again
tonight
I went outside and walked away
I walked onto the road
I took a look at the black ground
From it came this old dreaming house
You helped me line the stones
That mark out this straight walking way
And I hooked up a curtain
To sing behind, to work behind
To fall beneath the night behind
And fling back on a sunday
Tonight I'll regale other men
With tales that I'll be seeing you again
tonight
I read it in a book
Americans could fix it
So that they could float a boat
Down heavy rivers and control it
Then hoist it up on other land
And everything would be as quiet that first evening
As the steadiest before
But our house is made of quarry stones
And mortar rich as much
Brave block stones brought from Mayo in a truck
And it's not going sailing
It's far too well endeared
To this wet blowing field
And to all our neighbours' dreams
Tonight I'll regale other men
With tales that I'll be seeing you again
Tonight
Lyrics submitted by JordyWordy
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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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.
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,
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
martin finke rocks