"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.
Everybody took everything that they could, and they
Made a little town, out of stones and out of wood, and they
Made a little king, out of plasticine, and they
Threw the rules away, but they kept the wisdom in.
And all of the birds and the bees lived so peacefully.
And all of the babies, they slept so gently.
Until..
Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red
Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Little red came knocking.
Little garden how do I make your flowers grow, when I already do everything that I know.
I bring you sunshine and I bring you rain, but still you refrain.
All the other gardens are so full of flowers.
They're so colourful yet I spend all these hours,
trying to make you as beautiful as them, but still you refrain.
Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Scratch x 4
Little Girl, Why are you crying,
just because the flowers in your garden are dying,
theres so much, that you could be doing,
and all of your neighbours well they havent got a clue oh,
come on with me, well have a little bit of fun, yeah,
its not too dangerous and we wont hurt anyone yeah,
well cause some havoc between the birds and the bees and well ,
well paint the town red and well shake the trees,
oh come on with me and Ill show you a good time,
all you have to do, is a jump and a climb, and Ill,
Ill take you over to the other side of town,
well theres so much to do there and nobody wears a crown.
Oh
Should I go? Or should I stay? My flowers are dying and Im sick and tired anyway,
This boy seems kinda cool, his jeans are kind of low.
Well I think Ill go.
Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Climb x 4
Oh, lets pack a picnic and well go for a drive.
Well go to a funfair and go on all the rides.
Well climb up a mountain and well take in the sights,
well jump in a plane and fly.
If you want you can come back to mine.
Well drink some coffee and you can spend the night.
Well do anything that makes you smile,
cause your smile is beautiful and it makes me happy,
cause your smile is beautiful and it makes me happy
This Little Girl She grew up and moved away and she
She lived her life full of risk and full of play and she
She lived her life, with so much to say, and
Her flowers they grow more beautiful everyday
Made a little town, out of stones and out of wood, and they
Made a little king, out of plasticine, and they
Threw the rules away, but they kept the wisdom in.
And all of the birds and the bees lived so peacefully.
And all of the babies, they slept so gently.
Until..
Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red
Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Red Little Little red came knocking.
Little garden how do I make your flowers grow, when I already do everything that I know.
I bring you sunshine and I bring you rain, but still you refrain.
All the other gardens are so full of flowers.
They're so colourful yet I spend all these hours,
trying to make you as beautiful as them, but still you refrain.
Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Knock Scratch x 4
Little Girl, Why are you crying,
just because the flowers in your garden are dying,
theres so much, that you could be doing,
and all of your neighbours well they havent got a clue oh,
come on with me, well have a little bit of fun, yeah,
its not too dangerous and we wont hurt anyone yeah,
well cause some havoc between the birds and the bees and well ,
well paint the town red and well shake the trees,
oh come on with me and Ill show you a good time,
all you have to do, is a jump and a climb, and Ill,
Ill take you over to the other side of town,
well theres so much to do there and nobody wears a crown.
Oh
Should I go? Or should I stay? My flowers are dying and Im sick and tired anyway,
This boy seems kinda cool, his jeans are kind of low.
Well I think Ill go.
Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Jump Climb x 4
Oh, lets pack a picnic and well go for a drive.
Well go to a funfair and go on all the rides.
Well climb up a mountain and well take in the sights,
well jump in a plane and fly.
If you want you can come back to mine.
Well drink some coffee and you can spend the night.
Well do anything that makes you smile,
cause your smile is beautiful and it makes me happy,
cause your smile is beautiful and it makes me happy
This Little Girl She grew up and moved away and she
She lived her life full of risk and full of play and she
She lived her life, with so much to say, and
Her flowers they grow more beautiful everyday
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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/
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
aaah sweet jesus i love this song normally narrative songs get on my tits, but kate's are amazing and i love this song iv tried in vain to work out the piano a million times dammit