"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.
I know that times were hard
I know that you've been feelin' down
If you only knew how I'm feelin' for you
If I could take your pain
I wish that I could wash it all away
If you only knew how I'm feelin'
Mommy I'm sorry if my first letter made you cry
To be honest with you I don't think that I wanna die
Sometimes I feel like that I'm cancerous in others lives
That's prolley why I drink at night and sleep till 4 or 5
It's kinda hard walking through life with my distorted eyes
When I was younger I was stupid and I thought I thrived
I thought a lot about everything I said in the letter
And questioned whether or not if I was dead you'd be better
You think my shorty would be happy if I never met her
It's too late now mommy I could never forget her
Could never forget how she told me to love
'cause my father and my grandmother is always above
It's glory above you know that daddy taught me to thug
And everytime we was with nanny she'd bombard me with hugs[damn]
I MISS 'EM mommy and it's hard to believe
That I've grown and I don't understand that why did they leave
(Better to die and sleep then never wake and sleep
Then linger on and dare to live when your souls life is gone)
You've been runnin' around for so long
You've been hurting yourself too much
You keep messin' around with darkness
You're the one whose losin x2
Mommy I think I'm'a that try to stick around a while
I got a niece and my nephews they need me around a while
I think they need me 'cause they hittin that age
And they ain't tryin to speak to Lenny 'cause they spittin' they rage
And mommy speakin of Lenny I think my brother need me
And we Italian so you know my mother loved to feed me
And it's the little things you do for me that make it worth it
Like when I play a joint that we did and you say it's perfect
And when Jay got knocked you knew that I was hurt
You told me to my heart in a song and it worked
I promised him I'd be there when he got out the bing
You ain't raised me to be a liar ma' that's not my thing
I told him that I'd hold him down the whole time that he gone
They kept him locked in a cage but that's cool 'cause he's strong
So mommy keep that first letter I wrote you on the low
I think I wanna stay alive and see if I can grow
You've been runnin' around for so long
You've been hurting yourself too much
You keep messin' around with darkness
You're the one whose losing x2
I know that times were hard
I know that you've been feelin' down
If you only knew how I'm feelin' for you
If I could take your pain
I wish that I could wash it all away
If you only knew how I'm feelin'
I know that you've been feelin' down
If you only knew how I'm feelin' for you
If I could take your pain
I wish that I could wash it all away
If you only knew how I'm feelin'
Mommy I'm sorry if my first letter made you cry
To be honest with you I don't think that I wanna die
Sometimes I feel like that I'm cancerous in others lives
That's prolley why I drink at night and sleep till 4 or 5
It's kinda hard walking through life with my distorted eyes
When I was younger I was stupid and I thought I thrived
I thought a lot about everything I said in the letter
And questioned whether or not if I was dead you'd be better
You think my shorty would be happy if I never met her
It's too late now mommy I could never forget her
Could never forget how she told me to love
'cause my father and my grandmother is always above
It's glory above you know that daddy taught me to thug
And everytime we was with nanny she'd bombard me with hugs[damn]
I MISS 'EM mommy and it's hard to believe
That I've grown and I don't understand that why did they leave
(Better to die and sleep then never wake and sleep
Then linger on and dare to live when your souls life is gone)
You've been runnin' around for so long
You've been hurting yourself too much
You keep messin' around with darkness
You're the one whose losin x2
Mommy I think I'm'a that try to stick around a while
I got a niece and my nephews they need me around a while
I think they need me 'cause they hittin that age
And they ain't tryin to speak to Lenny 'cause they spittin' they rage
And mommy speakin of Lenny I think my brother need me
And we Italian so you know my mother loved to feed me
And it's the little things you do for me that make it worth it
Like when I play a joint that we did and you say it's perfect
And when Jay got knocked you knew that I was hurt
You told me to my heart in a song and it worked
I promised him I'd be there when he got out the bing
You ain't raised me to be a liar ma' that's not my thing
I told him that I'd hold him down the whole time that he gone
They kept him locked in a cage but that's cool 'cause he's strong
So mommy keep that first letter I wrote you on the low
I think I wanna stay alive and see if I can grow
You've been runnin' around for so long
You've been hurting yourself too much
You keep messin' around with darkness
You're the one whose losing x2
I know that times were hard
I know that you've been feelin' down
If you only knew how I'm feelin' for you
If I could take your pain
I wish that I could wash it all away
If you only knew how I'm feelin'
Lyrics submitted by inventorriz
Razorblade Salvation Lyrics as written by Shara Wyvette Worden Kevin Balwin
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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."
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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.
Great version of a great song,
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
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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/
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As said, an amazing song. Its one of the songs that actually takes me out of a depressive state. JMT never cease to amaze me with each album they bring out