"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.
Jesus Christ, I believe you
The deepest trust, I won’t leave you
They call me crazy - but it won’t matter
And death won’t change me - not ever
Jesus Christ, I believe you
The deepest trust, I won’t leave you
But my child is fading, an innocent
I hear no answer, I’m calling
My voice is reaching the sky
I’d do anything to save this life
Take me instead
Ah, God give me death
Jesus Christ, I believe you
They call me crazy - but it won’t matter
And death won’t change me - not ever
My voice is reaching the sky
I’d do anything to save this life
Take me instead
Ah, God give me death
Ah, God give me death
The deepest trust, I won’t leave you
They call me crazy - but it won’t matter
And death won’t change me - not ever
Jesus Christ, I believe you
The deepest trust, I won’t leave you
But my child is fading, an innocent
I hear no answer, I’m calling
My voice is reaching the sky
I’d do anything to save this life
Take me instead
Ah, God give me death
Jesus Christ, I believe you
They call me crazy - but it won’t matter
And death won’t change me - not ever
My voice is reaching the sky
I’d do anything to save this life
Take me instead
Ah, God give me death
Ah, God give me death
Lyrics submitted by The_Forsaken_Blind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This song seems odd to me, I mean ssince his other albums are called things like 666 and about God not being real. Yet here's this one that seems likehe's a full Christian? What's up with that? Nothing wrong with him being a Christian, but it's just odd.
I don't know if this is Hyde proclaiming his Christianity, or if it's him making a point that God does not exist.
Like, people are calling him crazy because he has this deep trust in something that's not real, and when he calls to God he hears no answer. And maybe he's saying it's stupid to sacrifice your life ("death won't change me"..."God give me death") for a God that's not even listening...
"Faith" is a concept album centered around Hyde's exploration of Christianity. From what I can tell, each song describes a different emotional state that a Christian goes through in relationship with God. Whereas Season's Call is about the joy and love of worship, this song is quite the opposite; it is about the anguish and grief of loss, with the believer pleading for God's help.
Hyde has an interesting relationship with religion in general. For the most part, he seems to clearly not be Christian or even theist, but at the same time, he's always had a certain fascination with religion. I don't think "Faith" necessarily describes his personal opinion on Christianity; rather, it is an expression of his attempt to understand the beliefs and mindset of Christians as a whole.