"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.
80% of lovers
Never forget their first
This significant other
Whos departure makes things worse
Well this is you down to a 'T'
I can see you won't forget her
Because she meant untimely death a year ago
Technically, this is, appropriation by any other name
You can't have me, make me act the same
The way you treat me is inappropriate
You don't stop to think about that
Appropriation by any other name
You can't have me, make me act the same
The way you treat me is inappropriate
You don't stop to think about that
A mutal aquaintance
Claims you're wise beyind your years
With a love of conversation
Most unrivaled by your peers
Still the lingering malaise of British Rail
And whether foxes should be killed or not is her concern not mine
Technically, this is, appropriation by any other name
You can't have me, make me act the same
The way you treat me is inappropriate
You don't stop to think about that
Appropriation by any other name
You can't have me, make me act the same
The way you treat me is inappropriate
You don't stop to think about that
What will you do if I don't come back to you tonight?
I'm not always at your beck and call
I know how your mind works now
You just want a nearly new replacement
When I met you, I never wore dresses like that
But I've been sitting here for thirty minutes and you haven't said a word
But I don't have the guts to get on the bus
So I end up getting a lift back to yours and the cycle starts all over again
The cycle starts over again
Stop this man
Someone stop this stop
Stop this man
Someone stop this man, stop this man
Never forget their first
This significant other
Whos departure makes things worse
Well this is you down to a 'T'
I can see you won't forget her
Because she meant untimely death a year ago
Technically, this is, appropriation by any other name
You can't have me, make me act the same
The way you treat me is inappropriate
You don't stop to think about that
Appropriation by any other name
You can't have me, make me act the same
The way you treat me is inappropriate
You don't stop to think about that
A mutal aquaintance
Claims you're wise beyind your years
With a love of conversation
Most unrivaled by your peers
Still the lingering malaise of British Rail
And whether foxes should be killed or not is her concern not mine
Technically, this is, appropriation by any other name
You can't have me, make me act the same
The way you treat me is inappropriate
You don't stop to think about that
Appropriation by any other name
You can't have me, make me act the same
The way you treat me is inappropriate
You don't stop to think about that
What will you do if I don't come back to you tonight?
I'm not always at your beck and call
I know how your mind works now
You just want a nearly new replacement
When I met you, I never wore dresses like that
But I've been sitting here for thirty minutes and you haven't said a word
But I don't have the guts to get on the bus
So I end up getting a lift back to yours and the cycle starts all over again
The cycle starts over again
Stop this man
Someone stop this stop
Stop this man
Someone stop this man, stop this man
Lyrics submitted by dillygirl
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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,
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.
Yes rapist, this is an obvious reference to Vertigo and Scotty's recreation of Judy into Madeline. It also recognises Judy's weakness (as in the film she wants to leave but dosn't) "But I don't have the guts to get on the bus." The Long Blondes are very clever at using underlying feminist themes in their lyrics that most people miss.