"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.
Overall, I think we did a good job
We did the best we could, I think we did the best we could
Overall, we couldn't have done much else
I think we pulled it off, I always thought we pulled it off
I always thought we pulled if off
Days and nights we were a shoulder to cry on
Weren't we, weren't we?
Smiling eyes that screamed "confide in me", that was you and me
Weren't we, weren't we?
It couldn't be our fault, we never said anything political
Sure you worked late some nights
I always thought you could have breast-fed him longer than you did
(But we let him in) Not enough but I let him in
Overall, I think we did a good job
We did the best we could, I think we did the best we could
Overall, we couldn't have done much else
I think we pulled it off, I always thought we pulled it off
I always thought we pulled if off
I've got my calender here he was sick back in '92
The week when they had history on World War Two
You never should have got him that video game for Christmas
They shoot people in that game, pixled people without names
Overall, we've always done as they say we should have
Haven't we, haven't we?
We always smiled, we hid all issues away
Didn't we, didn't we?
You know the new receptionist at work, she's a jew
She could visit, he could see she could be me or you
And bring the gay guy downstairs, he doesn't look gay at all
We broke something without knowing, but we did a good job overall
Didn't we, didn't we, didn't we?
We always smiled, we hid all troubles away
Didn't we, didn't we?
What will the neighbours say maybe that shaved hair will grown back
Or grandma will have a heart attack
We did the best we could, I think we did the best we could
Overall, we couldn't have done much else
I think we pulled it off, I always thought we pulled it off
I always thought we pulled if off
Days and nights we were a shoulder to cry on
Weren't we, weren't we?
Smiling eyes that screamed "confide in me", that was you and me
Weren't we, weren't we?
It couldn't be our fault, we never said anything political
Sure you worked late some nights
I always thought you could have breast-fed him longer than you did
(But we let him in) Not enough but I let him in
Overall, I think we did a good job
We did the best we could, I think we did the best we could
Overall, we couldn't have done much else
I think we pulled it off, I always thought we pulled it off
I always thought we pulled if off
I've got my calender here he was sick back in '92
The week when they had history on World War Two
You never should have got him that video game for Christmas
They shoot people in that game, pixled people without names
Overall, we've always done as they say we should have
Haven't we, haven't we?
We always smiled, we hid all issues away
Didn't we, didn't we?
You know the new receptionist at work, she's a jew
She could visit, he could see she could be me or you
And bring the gay guy downstairs, he doesn't look gay at all
We broke something without knowing, but we did a good job overall
Didn't we, didn't we, didn't we?
We always smiled, we hid all troubles away
Didn't we, didn't we?
What will the neighbours say maybe that shaved hair will grown back
Or grandma will have a heart attack
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
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.
I always thought the kid became a nazi... Mostly because of the ting about the normal looking jew and gay guy.