"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.
What you believe in, this is not the question
This ruined city quickly free yourself from it
Now you feel it bet on only that feeling
The bright image passes through through your feeling passes through
The blazing sun because for who else does it rise
Instead of waiting too long for tomorrow
now run through the gate of opportunity
For the meaning of life you search but even after shining it's not slow
For the meaning of love you search but without deception hold tight Your mind
I want to be dreaming and without being made to give it up
To do as much as I can there's not enough time
If I'm able to be dreaming now and then, let's fall into ruin
Carved in this heart this passion doesn't easily fade
For the meaning of life you search but even after shining it's not slow
For the meaning of love you search but without deception hold tight Your mind
From now on, everything can shine
What you believe in, this is not the question
This ruined city quickly free yourself from it
Now you feel it bet on only that feeling
The bright image passes through through your feeling passes through
The blazing sun because for who else does it rise
Instead of waiting too long for tomorrow now run through the gate of
opportunity
This ruined city quickly free yourself from it
Now you feel it bet on only that feeling
The bright image passes through through your feeling passes through
The blazing sun because for who else does it rise
Instead of waiting too long for tomorrow
now run through the gate of opportunity
For the meaning of life you search but even after shining it's not slow
For the meaning of love you search but without deception hold tight Your mind
I want to be dreaming and without being made to give it up
To do as much as I can there's not enough time
If I'm able to be dreaming now and then, let's fall into ruin
Carved in this heart this passion doesn't easily fade
For the meaning of life you search but even after shining it's not slow
For the meaning of love you search but without deception hold tight Your mind
From now on, everything can shine
What you believe in, this is not the question
This ruined city quickly free yourself from it
Now you feel it bet on only that feeling
The bright image passes through through your feeling passes through
The blazing sun because for who else does it rise
Instead of waiting too long for tomorrow now run through the gate of
opportunity
Lyrics submitted by Marjolaine
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Fast Car
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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.
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Plastic Bag
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“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.
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