"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.
"There's a light that shines on everything & everyone.
And it shines so bright - brighter even than the sun".
That's what Minnie thinks as she walks to meet her brother,
Who is nearly two years older, on a Saturday night.
He's DJ-ing at some do on the edge of town on the night
That Minnie Timperley died.
It's such a beautiful world, you're such a beautiful girl.
So much that you want to try, the world wants to sleep with you tonight.
But Minnie, Minnie if I could I would give you the rest of my life.
How can a girl have sex with these pathetic teenage wrecks?
Football scarves, the girls drink halves & her brother's crying 'cause he has lost his decks.
Outside the air was cool, an older guy sitting in his car asked if Minnie needed a ride.
He thought he was still dangerous - paunchy, but dangerous -
On the night that Minnie Timperley died.
It's such a beautiful world, you're such a beautiful girl.
And he only did what he did 'cause you looked like one of his kids.
But Minnie, Minnie if I could I would give you the rest of my life.
Minnie. Oh, Minnie I can feel the pain. Oh yeah
And it shines so bright - brighter even than the sun".
That's what Minnie thinks as she walks to meet her brother,
Who is nearly two years older, on a Saturday night.
He's DJ-ing at some do on the edge of town on the night
That Minnie Timperley died.
It's such a beautiful world, you're such a beautiful girl.
So much that you want to try, the world wants to sleep with you tonight.
But Minnie, Minnie if I could I would give you the rest of my life.
How can a girl have sex with these pathetic teenage wrecks?
Football scarves, the girls drink halves & her brother's crying 'cause he has lost his decks.
Outside the air was cool, an older guy sitting in his car asked if Minnie needed a ride.
He thought he was still dangerous - paunchy, but dangerous -
On the night that Minnie Timperley died.
It's such a beautiful world, you're such a beautiful girl.
And he only did what he did 'cause you looked like one of his kids.
But Minnie, Minnie if I could I would give you the rest of my life.
Minnie. Oh, Minnie I can feel the pain. Oh yeah
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Jarvis' comments: Yeah, this song Minnie Timperley is about a murder, but having said that all my songs are autobiographical! I have never committed a murder - honest, guv. That song came from a dream that I had about me and Steve going to DJ at a Scottish rave, and we had all our equipment stolen. And then there was this sixteen year old girl walking around, thinking how stupid all these people were who were off their heads, and she got bored, and accepted a lift from a bloke in the car park and then he kills her. God knows why I dreamt that - it's not very pleasant - but it really stuck in my mind. It was one of those very vivid dreams, and so of course I thought: "That's a brilliant subject matter for a song, isn't it? Nice, cheery, feel good material..."
This is an amazing song. I'm surprised no one has commented. Uber sure it's about a girl whogoes to a rave and is murdered by a creepy middle aged guy in a car.
"It's such a beautiful world, and you're such a beautiful girl. And he only did what he did 'cos you looked like one of his kids."
How dark is that??
I read somewhere that this was about a real murder. I like how he sort of blames the feebleness of males her own age for driving her to something worse ("patethetic teenage wrecks").