"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.
All I wanna do is, all I wanna do is make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
Put the, put the past behind us
All I wanna do is, all I wanna do is, all I wanna do is make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
Put the, put the past behind us
Broken promises, broken wedding vows
The clock is ticking down
Hoping daddy'll crack a smile
How can I support a child
Last time I had a job, It's been a while
The question remain so freely
Why does it have to happen to me?
To wash away the pain of drinking, I'm thinking
I'm waiting for the day that, together we could find another way back,
Put everything we've got in stake lets worry about today
And put tomorrow in a bottle. (bottle)
If there's some way that
We can take back the wrong that we created we can change that,
Don't turn your head the other way
Your born to save today.
Put tomorrow in a bottle
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Oh, girl, you ain't right
I apologize
Wont be satisfied till what we had was gone away
Hey, Hey every other day we doesn't fight
And I take it two wrongs don't make a right
You had my head gone
I had you dead wrong
Thinking that same old song
Wondering why you mad at me, me
Now you gotta understand my lingo
Baby This is how it should be (hey!)
Are you gonna do me like that?
Your both supposed to have my back, back
Your both supposed to have my back, back
Your both supposed to have my back, back
Your both supposed to have my back, back
And we both don't know how to act
Wasn't a lead by the door
If there's some way that
We can take back the wrong that we created we can change that,
Don't turn your head the other way
Your born to save today.
Put tomorrow in a bottle
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
I'm waiting for the day that, together we could find another way back,
Put everything we've got in stake lets worry about today
And put tomorrow in a bottle. (bottle)
If there's some way that
We can take back the wrong that we created we can change that,
Don't turn your head the other way
Your born to save today.
Put tomorrow in a bottle
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
That I never thought at all the love we had would go away
Put your back against the wall
I was your bread and butter
Like girl
Why was the relationship so down
Like we established the fact
That you were so strong to get
I wont go spreading my ex
From Tallahassee and back
Chad gonna sing the rest!
If there's some way that
We can take back the wrong that we created we can change that,
Don't turn your head the other way
Your born to save today.
Put tomorrow in a bottle
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
Put the, put the past behind us
All I wanna do is, all I wanna do is, all I wanna do is make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
All I wanna do is, make up
Put the, put the past behind us
Broken promises, broken wedding vows
The clock is ticking down
Hoping daddy'll crack a smile
How can I support a child
Last time I had a job, It's been a while
The question remain so freely
Why does it have to happen to me?
To wash away the pain of drinking, I'm thinking
I'm waiting for the day that, together we could find another way back,
Put everything we've got in stake lets worry about today
And put tomorrow in a bottle. (bottle)
If there's some way that
We can take back the wrong that we created we can change that,
Don't turn your head the other way
Your born to save today.
Put tomorrow in a bottle
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Oh, girl, you ain't right
I apologize
Wont be satisfied till what we had was gone away
Hey, Hey every other day we doesn't fight
And I take it two wrongs don't make a right
You had my head gone
I had you dead wrong
Thinking that same old song
Wondering why you mad at me, me
Now you gotta understand my lingo
Baby This is how it should be (hey!)
Are you gonna do me like that?
Your both supposed to have my back, back
Your both supposed to have my back, back
Your both supposed to have my back, back
Your both supposed to have my back, back
And we both don't know how to act
Wasn't a lead by the door
If there's some way that
We can take back the wrong that we created we can change that,
Don't turn your head the other way
Your born to save today.
Put tomorrow in a bottle
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
I'm waiting for the day that, together we could find another way back,
Put everything we've got in stake lets worry about today
And put tomorrow in a bottle. (bottle)
If there's some way that
We can take back the wrong that we created we can change that,
Don't turn your head the other way
Your born to save today.
Put tomorrow in a bottle
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
That I never thought at all the love we had would go away
Put your back against the wall
I was your bread and butter
Like girl
Why was the relationship so down
Like we established the fact
That you were so strong to get
I wont go spreading my ex
From Tallahassee and back
Chad gonna sing the rest!
If there's some way that
We can take back the wrong that we created we can change that,
Don't turn your head the other way
Your born to save today.
Put tomorrow in a bottle
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
Lets put tomorrow in a bottle (bottle)
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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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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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
probably the hottest track on Shock Value II....Chad Kroeger on the hook is sick