"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.
Warden threw a party in the county jail
Prison band was there and they began to wail
Band starting jumpin', joint began to swing
Should've heard the knocked out jailbirds sing
Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Yes, everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Well, Spider Murphy played on the saxophone
Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone
Drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bang
Whole rhythm section was the Purple Gang
Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Yes, everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Well, number forty seven said to number three
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see
Sure'd be delighted with your company
Come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me"
Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Well, a sad sack was a sittin' on a block of stone
Over in the corner weepin' all alone
The warden said, "Hey, buddy, don't you be no square
Can't find a partner use a wooden chair"
Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Well, everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Well, shifty Henry said to Bugs, "For goodness' sake
Warden's not lookin', man let's make a break"
Bugsy looked at Henry and he said, "Nix nix
Gotta stick around a while and get my kicks"
Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Well, everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Bopin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Rockin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Prison band was there and they began to wail
Band starting jumpin', joint began to swing
Should've heard the knocked out jailbirds sing
Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Yes, everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Well, Spider Murphy played on the saxophone
Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone
Drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bang
Whole rhythm section was the Purple Gang
Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Yes, everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Well, number forty seven said to number three
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see
Sure'd be delighted with your company
Come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me"
Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Well, a sad sack was a sittin' on a block of stone
Over in the corner weepin' all alone
The warden said, "Hey, buddy, don't you be no square
Can't find a partner use a wooden chair"
Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Well, everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Well, shifty Henry said to Bugs, "For goodness' sake
Warden's not lookin', man let's make a break"
Bugsy looked at Henry and he said, "Nix nix
Gotta stick around a while and get my kicks"
Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Well, everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Bopin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Rockin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Jailhouse Rock Lyrics as written by Mike Stoller Jerry Leiber
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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Yo La Tengo
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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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Page
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.