"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.
Qu'est-ce qu'ils font, ceux du palais? Ils ne se pressent pas. Moi. je trouve que c'est le plus dur, cette attente : on est là, on piétine sous un ciel de feu, sans quitter des yeux cette pierre noire ... Ha! ils sont là-bas derrière; ils attendent comme nous, tout réjouis à la pensée du mal qu'ils vont nous faire.
Horrible, horrible attente. Il me semble, vous tous, que vous vous éloignez lentement de moi. La pierre n'est pas encore ôtée, et déjà chacun est en proie à ses morts, seul comme une goutte de pluie.
Chiens! Osez-vous bien vous plaindre? Avez-vous perdu la mémoire de votre abjection? Par Jupiter, je rafraîchirai vos souvenirs. Il faut bien nous résoundre à commencer sans elle. Qu'on aille quérir Électre au palais et qu'on l'amène ici, de gré ou de force.
Pitié! Pitié!
A vos places. Les hommes à ma droite. A ma gauche les femmes et les enfants.
Ces gens-là n'en peuvent plus. Ôtez la pierre.
Ils sont là!
Horreur! Pitié! Horreur! Pitié!
Ruffian! Je ne te permettrai pas de mêler le nom de mon père à tes singeries!
Arrêtez, jeunne homme, arrêtez-vous!
Électre!
Électre!
English Translation:
What are they up to, those palace folk? They're never in a hurry, and it's all this waiting gets one down, what with the blazing sun and only that big black stone to look at. Just think! They're all in there, crowded up behind the stone, gloating over the cruel things they're going to do to us.
Oh this horrible, horrible suspense! Do you know, I have a feeling that all of you are drifting miles and miles away, leaving me alone. The stone is not yet rolled aside, but each of us is shut up with his dead, and lonely as a raindrop.
Dogs! How dare you bewail your lot? Have you forgotten your disgrace? Then by Jupiter, I shall refresh your memories. We must start without her it seems. Go seek Électre in the palace, and bring her here; by force if needs be.
Mercy! Mercy!
Take your usual places. The men on my right; women and children on my left.
Sire, these people are at breaking point. Roll away the stone.
They are coming forth!
Heaven help us! Have mercy!
I forbid you to drag my fathers name into this mummery!
Stop young fellow! stop that!
Électre!
Électre!
Horrible, horrible attente. Il me semble, vous tous, que vous vous éloignez lentement de moi. La pierre n'est pas encore ôtée, et déjà chacun est en proie à ses morts, seul comme une goutte de pluie.
Chiens! Osez-vous bien vous plaindre? Avez-vous perdu la mémoire de votre abjection? Par Jupiter, je rafraîchirai vos souvenirs. Il faut bien nous résoundre à commencer sans elle. Qu'on aille quérir Électre au palais et qu'on l'amène ici, de gré ou de force.
Pitié! Pitié!
A vos places. Les hommes à ma droite. A ma gauche les femmes et les enfants.
Ces gens-là n'en peuvent plus. Ôtez la pierre.
Ils sont là!
Horreur! Pitié! Horreur! Pitié!
Ruffian! Je ne te permettrai pas de mêler le nom de mon père à tes singeries!
Arrêtez, jeunne homme, arrêtez-vous!
Électre!
Électre!
English Translation:
What are they up to, those palace folk? They're never in a hurry, and it's all this waiting gets one down, what with the blazing sun and only that big black stone to look at. Just think! They're all in there, crowded up behind the stone, gloating over the cruel things they're going to do to us.
Oh this horrible, horrible suspense! Do you know, I have a feeling that all of you are drifting miles and miles away, leaving me alone. The stone is not yet rolled aside, but each of us is shut up with his dead, and lonely as a raindrop.
Dogs! How dare you bewail your lot? Have you forgotten your disgrace? Then by Jupiter, I shall refresh your memories. We must start without her it seems. Go seek Électre in the palace, and bring her here; by force if needs be.
Mercy! Mercy!
Take your usual places. The men on my right; women and children on my left.
Sire, these people are at breaking point. Roll away the stone.
They are coming forth!
Heaven help us! Have mercy!
I forbid you to drag my fathers name into this mummery!
Stop young fellow! stop that!
Électre!
Électre!
Lyrics submitted by delial
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Gentle Hour
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.
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I Can't Go To Sleep
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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.
No Surprises
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Page
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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.