"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.
Ah Ooh Ah Ooh Ah Ooh Ah Ooh
Now get down people and listen to me,
Gonna tell you how I make history
You can call me Louis I'm the king of France
Check out my story while you do your dance
Now in 1789 the peasants were starving but I was fine
We were hanging out, down in old Versailles
That's the week end [pad] of my queen and I
In the alleys of Paris they were eating rats
But it was [filled in yum] for aristocrats
There were dukes and counts and barons and earls
I gave them the titles but I kept the girls
Blonds, red heads, wild brunettes
Ladies and waitresses I didn't wait to get
There was *** for breakfast, *** for brunch,
The line of the Follies Bergères for lunch
Ooh yes it's good to be the king
Ooh La La
Gee but it's good to be the king
Say it girls
You can be sure about one thing
Ooh La La
Mais oui, it's good to be the king
It's good to be the king
Ah Ooh Ah Ooh
Well while Paris was rioting we were doing it good
When we heard there was some trouble in the neighborhood
I wasn't too worried, no big deal
You step on the line, Jack, you're in the Bastille
The party kept swinging all day and all night
The champagne was flowing we were feeling all right
They were screaming for bread, things started to shake
But Marie-Antoinette said : Well let them eat cake !
Now the *** with *** was angry at me
They built a big old razor called the guillotine
Then the people of [Châtelet] would have our day :
Down with dirty water give us Perrier !
I said *** things might get ***
But they'll never lay a finger on good king Louis
Just keep your cool don't [fret] don't freak
I said Hey !
Said what ?
C'est magnifique !
Ooh yes it's good to be the king
Ooh La La
Gee but it's good to be the king
Your fantasy is my reality
You can be sure about one thing
Ooh La La
Mais oui, it's good to be the king
It's good to be the king.
Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pap
Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu
Ooh
Night and day
Comme vous voulez
Ooh
Well they brought down the gates in one massive assault
And the party came to a grinding halt
They took the midgets and the *** with the girls and all
And the boys said : Louis, it's time to go
They put my neck on the block, they took off my wig
And It occurred to me this was the end of the game
They asked me did I have any last words to say
Well I raised my head and I uttered : Hey !
Ooh yes it's good to be the king
Ooh La La
Gee but it's good to be the king
Well c'est la vie (make that la mort)
You can be sure about one thing
Ooh La La
Ooh yes it's good to be the king
Well it was good while it lasted
We can be sure about one thing
Ooh La La
Mais oui, it's good to be the king
It's good to be the king
Now get down people and listen to me,
Gonna tell you how I make history
You can call me Louis I'm the king of France
Check out my story while you do your dance
Now in 1789 the peasants were starving but I was fine
We were hanging out, down in old Versailles
That's the week end [pad] of my queen and I
In the alleys of Paris they were eating rats
But it was [filled in yum] for aristocrats
There were dukes and counts and barons and earls
I gave them the titles but I kept the girls
Blonds, red heads, wild brunettes
Ladies and waitresses I didn't wait to get
There was *** for breakfast, *** for brunch,
The line of the Follies Bergères for lunch
Ooh yes it's good to be the king
Ooh La La
Gee but it's good to be the king
Say it girls
You can be sure about one thing
Ooh La La
Mais oui, it's good to be the king
It's good to be the king
Ah Ooh Ah Ooh
Well while Paris was rioting we were doing it good
When we heard there was some trouble in the neighborhood
I wasn't too worried, no big deal
You step on the line, Jack, you're in the Bastille
The party kept swinging all day and all night
The champagne was flowing we were feeling all right
They were screaming for bread, things started to shake
But Marie-Antoinette said : Well let them eat cake !
Now the *** with *** was angry at me
They built a big old razor called the guillotine
Then the people of [Châtelet] would have our day :
Down with dirty water give us Perrier !
I said *** things might get ***
But they'll never lay a finger on good king Louis
Just keep your cool don't [fret] don't freak
I said Hey !
Said what ?
C'est magnifique !
Ooh yes it's good to be the king
Ooh La La
Gee but it's good to be the king
Your fantasy is my reality
You can be sure about one thing
Ooh La La
Mais oui, it's good to be the king
It's good to be the king.
Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pap
Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu Paria Pappu
Ooh
Night and day
Comme vous voulez
Ooh
Well they brought down the gates in one massive assault
And the party came to a grinding halt
They took the midgets and the *** with the girls and all
And the boys said : Louis, it's time to go
They put my neck on the block, they took off my wig
And It occurred to me this was the end of the game
They asked me did I have any last words to say
Well I raised my head and I uttered : Hey !
Ooh yes it's good to be the king
Ooh La La
Gee but it's good to be the king
Well c'est la vie (make that la mort)
You can be sure about one thing
Ooh La La
Ooh yes it's good to be the king
Well it was good while it lasted
We can be sure about one thing
Ooh La La
Mais oui, it's good to be the king
It's good to be the king
Lyrics submitted by JohnnyLurg
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.