"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.
It's too late
It's too late now
To pry away
To pry away
My candle burns on both ends so where does it leave us
Standing emptier than we ever left you
With your head in the water it's getting harder to breathe
So stand up, stand up
It's too late
To pry away
It's too late
To pry away
Don't get me wrong, I'm just as scared as you are now
You dropped us off here with no direction
But you never even tried to fight the current
Watch the water pouring faster into your lungs
So breathe in, breathe in
It's too late
To pry away
It's too late
To pry away
But it's hard to hear me
When your sinking, down, here
I wanna see you wash it down, wash it down
How can you sleep here
I bear the weight of your world
I don't believe in a single word you sold to me, sold to me
I bear your burden for the last time
I swear I'm done with all of this
It's too late
To pry away from the undertow
I watch it take you, then I walk away
It's too late now
To pry away
To pry away
My candle burns on both ends so where does it leave us
Standing emptier than we ever left you
With your head in the water it's getting harder to breathe
So stand up, stand up
It's too late
To pry away
It's too late
To pry away
Don't get me wrong, I'm just as scared as you are now
You dropped us off here with no direction
But you never even tried to fight the current
Watch the water pouring faster into your lungs
So breathe in, breathe in
It's too late
To pry away
It's too late
To pry away
But it's hard to hear me
When your sinking, down, here
I wanna see you wash it down, wash it down
How can you sleep here
I bear the weight of your world
I don't believe in a single word you sold to me, sold to me
I bear your burden for the last time
I swear I'm done with all of this
It's too late
To pry away from the undertow
I watch it take you, then I walk away
Lyrics submitted by shizzy1427
Paper Lung Lyrics as written by Daniel Travis Davison Christopher Dudley
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Little Feat
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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,
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.
A person watching someone else go in the wrong direction I would tie it too the ways of the world due to the fact he simply says "you never even tried to fight the current," he knows that we are placed here under our own choices "They dropped us off here with no direction" but as this other person is falling and he's doing everything he can to help them, they aren't listening so finally when they hit rock bottom he walks away. which sounds harsh but you can't have people in your life who drag you down... just my thoughts
Good thoughts! To delve further into your theory, I think both of the people in the song are him. And he is dealing with pressure and doing things he knows are wrong, but in the end he has to leave that person behind so that he can become a better person