"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.
Bret:
They call me the rhymenocerous
Not because I'm fat
Not because I've got birds on my back
Because I'm horny, I'm horny
When I'm on the mic
I'm like global warming
You can't ignore me
In the bedroom I'm the gentleman
All the ladies come before me
Check your yellow pages I'm a registered rhymenaecologist
Now I'm passing over the mic to the hiphop-potamus
Jemaine:
They call me the hiphop-potamus
My lyrics are bottomless
Bret (spoken)Is that it?
Jemaine(spoken)Yeah
Bret:
Sometimes my rhymes are obscene
Described as smutty, pornographic scene that's r18
They're so filthy, I feel guilty
I have to rinse my mouth out with Listerine
Like when I rap about those bitches smothered in margarine
Hahahaha
(gun sound affects)
(spoken)Sorry about that, that was a bit violent
Sorry about that one, you have a go
jemaine:
They call me the hiphop-potamus
cause I got flows that glow like phosphorous
Poppin off the top of this oesophageus
Not because I'm a water dwelling mammal from Africa
Called a hippopotamus I'm not a hippopotamus, I'm a hiphop-potamus
Where did you get the preposterous hypothesis that I was a hippopotamus?
Did Steve tell you?
What's he got to do with it?
Bloody Steve!!
both guys:
Other rappers diss me
Say my rhymes are sissy
What, what, what, why, why, why?
jemaine:
Be more constructive with your feedback
Bret:
Because I rap about reality
both guys:
Like me and my grandma having a cup of tea?
Ain't no party like my nana's tea party
Hey-ho
bret:
Freestyle, hiphop-potamus you do some freestyling
jemaine:
I'm freestylin just on the microphone
On the bbc, on the bbc
I'm just freestylin on the bbc
Um British broadcasting company
i'm just basically making this shit up as I go along
Basically just free
Just basically from the top of my dome
Sometimes it's not so good
My rhymes are so potent that in this small segment
I made all the lady listeners pregnant
Yeah that's right, sometimes my lyrics are sexist
But you lovely bitches know, should know
I'm trying to correct this
They call me the rhymenocerous
Not because I'm fat
Not because I've got birds on my back
Because I'm horny, I'm horny
When I'm on the mic
I'm like global warming
You can't ignore me
In the bedroom I'm the gentleman
All the ladies come before me
Check your yellow pages I'm a registered rhymenaecologist
Now I'm passing over the mic to the hiphop-potamus
Jemaine:
They call me the hiphop-potamus
My lyrics are bottomless
Bret (spoken)Is that it?
Jemaine(spoken)Yeah
Bret:
Sometimes my rhymes are obscene
Described as smutty, pornographic scene that's r18
They're so filthy, I feel guilty
I have to rinse my mouth out with Listerine
Like when I rap about those bitches smothered in margarine
Hahahaha
(gun sound affects)
(spoken)Sorry about that, that was a bit violent
Sorry about that one, you have a go
jemaine:
They call me the hiphop-potamus
cause I got flows that glow like phosphorous
Poppin off the top of this oesophageus
Not because I'm a water dwelling mammal from Africa
Called a hippopotamus I'm not a hippopotamus, I'm a hiphop-potamus
Where did you get the preposterous hypothesis that I was a hippopotamus?
Did Steve tell you?
What's he got to do with it?
Bloody Steve!!
both guys:
Other rappers diss me
Say my rhymes are sissy
What, what, what, why, why, why?
jemaine:
Be more constructive with your feedback
Bret:
Because I rap about reality
both guys:
Like me and my grandma having a cup of tea?
Ain't no party like my nana's tea party
Hey-ho
bret:
Freestyle, hiphop-potamus you do some freestyling
jemaine:
I'm freestylin just on the microphone
On the bbc, on the bbc
I'm just freestylin on the bbc
Um British broadcasting company
i'm just basically making this shit up as I go along
Basically just free
Just basically from the top of my dome
Sometimes it's not so good
My rhymes are so potent that in this small segment
I made all the lady listeners pregnant
Yeah that's right, sometimes my lyrics are sexist
But you lovely bitches know, should know
I'm trying to correct this
Lyrics submitted by almostutterly
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
BEAUTIFUL!!!
(not fully completed lyrics tho :/)
~Vampy