"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.
Subalashii asaga akelu
Yoakega yobikakelu
Kokorono izumiga wakidelu
Yumeno yo
I feel the power of a stranger inside me
A force of magic surrounds me
This fountain within me is overflowing
Peaceful and inviting
Beautiful and enticing
Yoake kisetsu yume kibo
Umito hikariga yondeilu
Rising sun will bless my morning with a smile
A magic pearl from the seas
Born in a willow breeze
Loyal friend my guardian angel in the sky
You've served me well all these years
Greeting with both hands trusting with no fears
Till the end
Toikuino anatani miselalete
Amalinimo utsukushii yumenoyo
Itsumademo ii
Aino hikali kiboto yume
When everything is golden and everything is oh
Fuji no yuki, Kyoto no ame, Tokyo no yolu
And everything is ah
Fire and beauty
My only living treasure on this earth
Aaaah
(kibo hikali yume)
Asaga hohoemikakelu
Itsumo kimi dakewa kokolonotomo
Toikimino omokage shinonde
Amalinimo utsukushii yumenoyo
When everything is golden
And everything and everyone is ah
Yoake, kisetsu, yume, kibo
Yoake, kisetsu, yume
Hikali, kisetsu, yume, kibo
Hikali, kisetsu, yume, kibo
Hikali, kisetsu, yume, kibo
Yoakega yobikakelu
Kokorono izumiga wakidelu
Yumeno yo
I feel the power of a stranger inside me
A force of magic surrounds me
This fountain within me is overflowing
Peaceful and inviting
Beautiful and enticing
Yoake kisetsu yume kibo
Umito hikariga yondeilu
Rising sun will bless my morning with a smile
A magic pearl from the seas
Born in a willow breeze
Loyal friend my guardian angel in the sky
You've served me well all these years
Greeting with both hands trusting with no fears
Till the end
Toikuino anatani miselalete
Amalinimo utsukushii yumenoyo
Itsumademo ii
Aino hikali kiboto yume
When everything is golden and everything is oh
Fuji no yuki, Kyoto no ame, Tokyo no yolu
And everything is ah
Fire and beauty
My only living treasure on this earth
Aaaah
(kibo hikali yume)
Asaga hohoemikakelu
Itsumo kimi dakewa kokolonotomo
Toikimino omokage shinonde
Amalinimo utsukushii yumenoyo
When everything is golden
And everything and everyone is ah
Yoake, kisetsu, yume, kibo
Yoake, kisetsu, yume
Hikali, kisetsu, yume, kibo
Hikali, kisetsu, yume, kibo
Hikali, kisetsu, yume, kibo
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Freedom Song Lyrics as written by Stuart Adamson
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
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/
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.