"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.
so we were married on the silk road
a thousand giants throwin' rocks
and just as I pulled back your white veil you were struck
we had your funeral in the ocean
off the coast of Mozambique
that's where you said you always wanted to live
so I said, "lay her here so she can always hear the trees calling her name"
and they'll wrap their roots so gently all around her frozen frame
so I carved you into marble
placed you high up in the freeze
so old Heraclitus would write entire books about your glory
I gave your necklace to a poor boy
he didn't thank me he just left
and I heard your ghost playing the organ again
and I said, "play that song that echoed through the church when you were born"
but then the music stopped and I never heard another sound from you
so I was walking on the silk road
heading home for the last time
and you were sitting waiting for me on the side
beneath the tree
I just kept walking
I didn't see
a thousand giants throwin' rocks
and just as I pulled back your white veil you were struck
we had your funeral in the ocean
off the coast of Mozambique
that's where you said you always wanted to live
so I said, "lay her here so she can always hear the trees calling her name"
and they'll wrap their roots so gently all around her frozen frame
so I carved you into marble
placed you high up in the freeze
so old Heraclitus would write entire books about your glory
I gave your necklace to a poor boy
he didn't thank me he just left
and I heard your ghost playing the organ again
and I said, "play that song that echoed through the church when you were born"
but then the music stopped and I never heard another sound from you
so I was walking on the silk road
heading home for the last time
and you were sitting waiting for me on the side
beneath the tree
I just kept walking
I didn't see
Lyrics submitted by Lionhaart
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Bee Gees
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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,
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Blue
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Per the "Grandfather" page on SimpleStereo.com:
So we were married on the silk road, A thousand giants throwing rocks And just as I pulled back your white veil you were struck We had your funeral in the ocean Off the coast of Mozambique That's where you said you always wanted to live
So I said, "Lay her here so she can always hear the trees calling her name, And they'll wrap their roots so gently all around her frozen frame"
So I carved you into marble, Placed you high up in the frieze So old Herodotus would write entire books about your glory I gave your necklace to a poor boy He didn't thank me, he just left And I heard your ghost playing the organ again
And I said, "Play that song that echoed through the church when you were born" But then the music stopped and I never heard another sound from you
So I was walking on the silk road, Heading home for the last time And you were sitting waiting for me on the side Beneath a tree I just kept walking I didn't see
I Think it's Herodotus rather than Heraclitus, Herodotus was a history and Heraclitus a philosopher. regardless great song, really great. i must have heard it 1000 times and i'm not tired of it.