"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.
Take all of my worry
and take back all of my words,
before I never learn,
before I never learn
that I am not my problems,
I am not my money's worth,
where I went to school,
order of my birth.
And I am not the answer,
I am not the aftermath
or picture of the past,
but I didn't know, know, know,
I didn't know, know, know,
I didn't know, know
Someday on a mountain
I will face all of my fears
before I disappear,
but I'll never know, know
One night in the middle
of my merry golden dreams,
I will start to see
that I didn't know, know, know,
I didn't know, know, know,
I didn't know, know, know,
I didn't know, know
Take me for only a man!
Take me for only a man!
Take me for only a man!
Take me for only a man!
and take back all of my words,
before I never learn,
before I never learn
that I am not my problems,
I am not my money's worth,
where I went to school,
order of my birth.
And I am not the answer,
I am not the aftermath
or picture of the past,
but I didn't know, know, know,
I didn't know, know, know,
I didn't know, know
Someday on a mountain
I will face all of my fears
before I disappear,
but I'll never know, know
One night in the middle
of my merry golden dreams,
I will start to see
that I didn't know, know, know,
I didn't know, know, know,
I didn't know, know, know,
I didn't know, know
Take me for only a man!
Take me for only a man!
Take me for only a man!
Take me for only a man!
Lyrics submitted by carefuldaze
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
I think this song is about looking back on a specific situation or a time period and realizing the time you wasted worrying about things or fearing things that would turn out not to matter in the end. It’s about the realization that you’re in control of your own life and that you should appreciate it, not fear it, not let others dictate it or depreciate the value of your life with their own fears, anxieties or expectations.