"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.
We were sleeping 'til
You came along
With your tiny heart
You let us in the wooden house
To share in all the wealth
Don't you know it's true, oh
Norway-ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Norway-ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Seven figures leap the hungry mouths
The beast, he comes to you
He's a hunter for a lonely heart
In the season of the sun
Don't you know it's true
Norway-ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Norway-ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Where you thinking that you gotta run to now
With the beating of a tiny heart?
Hang on to the things that you're supposed to say
Millions of stars they hold onto your breath
Norway ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Norway ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Norway ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Norway ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
You came along
With your tiny heart
You let us in the wooden house
To share in all the wealth
Don't you know it's true, oh
Norway-ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Norway-ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Seven figures leap the hungry mouths
The beast, he comes to you
He's a hunter for a lonely heart
In the season of the sun
Don't you know it's true
Norway-ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Norway-ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Where you thinking that you gotta run to now
With the beating of a tiny heart?
Hang on to the things that you're supposed to say
Millions of stars they hold onto your breath
Norway ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Norway ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Norway ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
Norway ay-ay, ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
Just want to say that this album is so lush and has amazing pop meolodies...
As far as the meaning goes, I believe it's about a girl who is very trusting of others when looking for love. The tiny heart makes it easier to take and this girl is willing to hand it over quickly because they want a relationship so bad. However, this leads to giving your heart to the wrong person. The song says "Seven figures leap the hungry mouths" which to me refers to yearly income. So a rich guy is trying to use his power to use lonely willing women. In the end the song asks "Where you thinking that you gotta run to now with the beating of a tiny heart?" This person has fallen victim to a man who will do whatever it takes for cheap sex while she clings to false love.
I love the last line "Millions of stars, they hold onto your breath." She says the right things, maybe even to reject the guy who wants her, but in the end her words fall short and like stars they become old and a former shell. It doesn't matter what you said because it might as well have never been said at all.
well, if you did not know, Norway is a country in scandinavia, northern europe..a tiny but very wealthy country. On many lists we are ranked as the best country in the world to live in, among them the UNs list. we have a social democratic government which means we share our money with each other, (the rich pay more taxes than middle class and the poor), so the disabled and the poor people can have a life worth living. we also give a big amount of our state budget to poor countries. and we have free health care! but we are not communists... and I think this song is more about how we are setting an example on how it should be, but it´s hard since the world is getting more greedy every day.
The song is about.....Norway- like Canada...both countries that care for their people. Democracies with a socialistic heart. Countries that are not perfect, but the world would be a better place if certain larger, richer greedier countries would follow their lead.<br />
I say you're BOTH full of sh*t and neither of you are from Norway. May I suggest you read up about your supposed country: en (dot) wikipedia (dot) org/wiki/Norway. It ain't so pretty once you educate yourself on it. Thanks to oil; shipping location; lack of population; and its ability to keep outsiders OUT (yes, they are such loving people those Norwegians:), Norway has done rather well for itself. Then again, they still come over to the U.S. for healthcare when they are desperate because their system is under par, no different from Canada's or the rest of Europe's. Get off your high Norwegian horse 'cause Norway ain't lookin' so special after the truth emerges...