"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.
Sick of wasting my breathe
For the past few years
An unfortunate case
Cause I'm failing faster
Losing my way feels like it's been forever
This is how you can help me fulfill my dreams
This is the person I've been dying to be
It's gonna take time
I'll have to look inside
To make sure what I'm doing is right
I've walked around this town all alone and
We've been better than you now we can show it
Can you accept it?
You gotta face it
I think it's time to move on
(2, 3, 4!)
We won't stop, stop
To this beat we're pumping
We rock 'til we drop (we rock!)
We won't stop, we've got it
Hard, hard as the drugs you're popping
The easiest way to escape from the world
Turn up your radio, just let go
A simple equation none of us know
How do we get to the core of your heart?
How do we get to the top?
Just close your eyes and count to 10
Before you know it, you're 10 steps ahead
I've been working for this night and day
I can feel my luck's about to change
How can you say that it's life you hate
When it's problems you
Can't seem to shake?
You've got to trust me
We can relate
Maybe we can help them go away
I've walked around this town all alone and
I think it's time to move on
We won't stop, stop
To this beat we're pumping
We rock 'til we drop (we rock!)
We won't stop, we've got it
Hard, hard as the drugs you're popping
The easiest way to escape from the world
Turn up your radio, just let go
A simple equation none of us know
How do we get to the core of your heart?
How do we get to the top?
From the time we say goodnight
'Til the sunrise brings a brand new morning
We won't even shut our eyes
From the time we say goodnight
'Til the sunrise brings a brand new morning
Hold on, hold on
Don't stop believeing, you'll be living a lie
Hold on
Turn up your radio, just let go
A simple equation none of us know
How do we get to the core of your heart?
How do we get to the top?
From the time we say goodnight
'Til the sunrise brings a brand new morning
For the past few years
An unfortunate case
Cause I'm failing faster
Losing my way feels like it's been forever
This is how you can help me fulfill my dreams
This is the person I've been dying to be
It's gonna take time
I'll have to look inside
To make sure what I'm doing is right
I've walked around this town all alone and
We've been better than you now we can show it
Can you accept it?
You gotta face it
I think it's time to move on
(2, 3, 4!)
We won't stop, stop
To this beat we're pumping
We rock 'til we drop (we rock!)
We won't stop, we've got it
Hard, hard as the drugs you're popping
The easiest way to escape from the world
Turn up your radio, just let go
A simple equation none of us know
How do we get to the core of your heart?
How do we get to the top?
Just close your eyes and count to 10
Before you know it, you're 10 steps ahead
I've been working for this night and day
I can feel my luck's about to change
How can you say that it's life you hate
When it's problems you
Can't seem to shake?
You've got to trust me
We can relate
Maybe we can help them go away
I've walked around this town all alone and
I think it's time to move on
We won't stop, stop
To this beat we're pumping
We rock 'til we drop (we rock!)
We won't stop, we've got it
Hard, hard as the drugs you're popping
The easiest way to escape from the world
Turn up your radio, just let go
A simple equation none of us know
How do we get to the core of your heart?
How do we get to the top?
From the time we say goodnight
'Til the sunrise brings a brand new morning
We won't even shut our eyes
From the time we say goodnight
'Til the sunrise brings a brand new morning
Hold on, hold on
Don't stop believeing, you'll be living a lie
Hold on
Turn up your radio, just let go
A simple equation none of us know
How do we get to the core of your heart?
How do we get to the top?
From the time we say goodnight
'Til the sunrise brings a brand new morning
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
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Gentle Hour
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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,
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
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Head > Heels
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“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
i have a couple corrections. in the first verse, pretty sure it's, "this is the person i've been dying to be." not "first thing" pre-chorus: "i've walked around this town all alone, and..." chorus: "hard, hard as the drugs you're poppin'." and "turn up your radio." not "off" second verse: "how can you say that it's life you hate?" not "love"
this song is so great. i'd love to hear a newer version with their new singer.