"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.
This is Headliner from Arrested Development, and I come here tonight
To give thanks to the rain, so brothers and sisters please put down your
Umbrellas, you won't be needing those today
Look to the clouds with the most rain coming from it, for without the
Rain there's no me and there's no you
I said a drip-drop, a drip-drop, drip-drop
Viva bum bum bum drip-drop
Let it rain, let it rain, let God's water feed me
The water of life, mentally rinsing me, physically drenching me
Most are frowning upon your arrival
But I need you for survival
And when you fall on my community
I run outside to properly
Greet you
Let it rain, take my pain, I'm glad to meet you
Fill my eyes with a colorful rainbow
Every drop hits me, fills me
With an unmeasurable amount of security
Knowing my God acknowledges me
As if each drop of rain is aimed toward me
My Lord: Thanks for life Thanks for my rain
It's raining revolution
It's raining solutions
It's raining revolution
I struttle strut through the ghetto
The rain this time I feel is mental
The goal of this rain I feel is spiritual
Saw through the eyes of the inflicted people
Their eyes are hard as a million thombstones
Marked with the names of the millions of kin thrown
To the dust that gave them their colored skin
Fade to black is the scene they're embalmed in
The rain many nights have witnessed her
Receiving the sperm of a brother into a sister
And blessed that life to guaranteed existence
A conscious baby for a black resistance
I feel the rain enhances the revolution
And reminds us of a spiritual solution
And reminds us of an unnatural supernatural solu-lu-lu-lution
It's raining revolution
Lost between reality and psychology, 1990's mentality is described
By the honorable truth message which is 'True Knowledge Is So Priceless'
Which is so true
Rain, rain, stay here! Wow
Love that power
Brothers and sisters haha
Raise your hands up high and let me see the colors of your beautiful skin
Now the ceremony begins
Lord, let thet heavenly rains cleanse
Run into your nearest rainbow
To grab, hold, to ride on
Each color, learn it ! The importance of each color oh yeah
Let it rain
To give thanks to the rain, so brothers and sisters please put down your
Umbrellas, you won't be needing those today
Look to the clouds with the most rain coming from it, for without the
Rain there's no me and there's no you
I said a drip-drop, a drip-drop, drip-drop
Viva bum bum bum drip-drop
Let it rain, let it rain, let God's water feed me
The water of life, mentally rinsing me, physically drenching me
Most are frowning upon your arrival
But I need you for survival
And when you fall on my community
I run outside to properly
Greet you
Let it rain, take my pain, I'm glad to meet you
Fill my eyes with a colorful rainbow
Every drop hits me, fills me
With an unmeasurable amount of security
Knowing my God acknowledges me
As if each drop of rain is aimed toward me
My Lord: Thanks for life Thanks for my rain
It's raining revolution
It's raining solutions
It's raining revolution
I struttle strut through the ghetto
The rain this time I feel is mental
The goal of this rain I feel is spiritual
Saw through the eyes of the inflicted people
Their eyes are hard as a million thombstones
Marked with the names of the millions of kin thrown
To the dust that gave them their colored skin
Fade to black is the scene they're embalmed in
The rain many nights have witnessed her
Receiving the sperm of a brother into a sister
And blessed that life to guaranteed existence
A conscious baby for a black resistance
I feel the rain enhances the revolution
And reminds us of a spiritual solution
And reminds us of an unnatural supernatural solu-lu-lu-lution
It's raining revolution
Lost between reality and psychology, 1990's mentality is described
By the honorable truth message which is 'True Knowledge Is So Priceless'
Which is so true
Rain, rain, stay here! Wow
Love that power
Brothers and sisters haha
Raise your hands up high and let me see the colors of your beautiful skin
Now the ceremony begins
Lord, let thet heavenly rains cleanse
Run into your nearest rainbow
To grab, hold, to ride on
Each color, learn it ! The importance of each color oh yeah
Let it rain
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Raining Revolution Lyrics as written by Todd A. Thomas Todd Thomas
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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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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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.
Page
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