"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.
Well I've been thinking about the phone lines and the street signs and they remind me every couple of miles that your're a hundred twisted miles of highway away from here.
And I'm hating feeling farther from you and I know that your heart feels that way too. I'm thinking I could take the train home, 'cause there's traffic on the 202.
And I've got a little cash. I think that I could probably get back, but I dont know if I'm quite ready to be back where you're at 'cause the last time we talked... we crashed
So here's to you, here's to you and all the things you never thought we could be.
Here's to the monologues I sold to your ears for the price of gettin' into your jeans.
You've worn out my body but my body cant sleep
and the weight that I'm losing is'nt a flattering thing
but you're constantly craving your nicotene
cause youre all about love at a high speed.
you're all about love at a high speed and thats not me
Well I've been thinking about your sweet smile on the I-5 and it reminds me every couple of miles that your're a hundred twisted miles of highway away from here.
You say "I'm hating feeling farther from you." Well the phone lines work both ways and the freeways, they do too.
I'm thinking I could take the train home,
cause there's traffic on the 202.
And I've got a little cash. I think that I could probably get back, but I dont know if I'm quite ready to be back where you're at 'cause the last time we talked... we crashed.
So here's to you, here's to you and all the things you never thought we could be.
Here's to the monologues I sold to your ears for the price of gettin' into your jeans.
You've worn out my body but my body cant sleep
and the weight that I'm losing is'nt a flattering thing
but you're constantly craving your nicotene
cause youre all about love at a high speed.
you're all about love at a high speed and thats not me
And I'm hating feeling farther from you and I know that your heart feels that way too. I'm thinking I could take the train home, 'cause there's traffic on the 202.
And I've got a little cash. I think that I could probably get back, but I dont know if I'm quite ready to be back where you're at 'cause the last time we talked... we crashed
So here's to you, here's to you and all the things you never thought we could be.
Here's to the monologues I sold to your ears for the price of gettin' into your jeans.
You've worn out my body but my body cant sleep
and the weight that I'm losing is'nt a flattering thing
but you're constantly craving your nicotene
cause youre all about love at a high speed.
you're all about love at a high speed and thats not me
Well I've been thinking about your sweet smile on the I-5 and it reminds me every couple of miles that your're a hundred twisted miles of highway away from here.
You say "I'm hating feeling farther from you." Well the phone lines work both ways and the freeways, they do too.
I'm thinking I could take the train home,
cause there's traffic on the 202.
And I've got a little cash. I think that I could probably get back, but I dont know if I'm quite ready to be back where you're at 'cause the last time we talked... we crashed.
So here's to you, here's to you and all the things you never thought we could be.
Here's to the monologues I sold to your ears for the price of gettin' into your jeans.
You've worn out my body but my body cant sleep
and the weight that I'm losing is'nt a flattering thing
but you're constantly craving your nicotene
cause youre all about love at a high speed.
you're all about love at a high speed and thats not me
Lyrics submitted by barbie_glitters
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Yo La Tengo
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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,
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This song is just so amazing. I can't believe this isn't commented before.
"I dont know if I'm quite ready to be back where you're at 'cause the last time we talked... we crashed"
i love that. amazing song.
everyone should go to their myspace and start gettin the word around.
if you like them then you'll love Jake's new project called "The Record Life"
check them out!
the record life is amazing. so is de capulet, of course. i'm really excited, they're playing at my birthday party. does anyone think they can post the lyrics to The Paradigm?
yeah, i'll get on it. thanks for reminding me!