"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.
When you and your baby are tight
And everything you say or do is mellow
She keeps everything all right
And you know that you're the only fellow
Ain't that a groove, ain't that a groove
Ain't that groove, ain't that a groove
Now look here fellows
Girls like to be in a mood
Whenever they think their man is yellow
Hit me band You fight real hard
To make things right 'cause he's the only fellow
Now ain't that a groove
Ain't that a groove do you hear me people
Ain't that a groove, ain't the a groove
Look you here I want to know do you love me, yes I love you
One more time, do you love me, yes I really, really do
Do you love me baby, yes I love you
I just gone, gotta, know
Hit me band
One more again
Look you here
I got to tell you, dig this
This will kill you
A little piece of money and plenty of love
Will keep everything together, come on band
Well forget about the money
Plenty of love and ain't that mellow
Now ain't that a groove, it's go groovy
Ain't that a groove, it's so groovy
Ain't that a groove, it's so groovy
Ain't that a groove
Look here, I'm not gonna talk all day
But 1, I wanted to get the feeling
One more time
Hit me band, listen to that band
I want to ask them
Do you love me, yes I love you
Do you love me baby, yes I love you
Do you love me, yes I love you
I just gotta, gotta, know
Hey ain't that a groove
Ain't that a groove let me count
One for the meney, two for the show
Ain't that a groove now here we go
Goin 'on, and one more thing
I want to say, this is better than cushions
Christmas only comes once a year
And this is all year bound
People can, I'm livin'
Let me out, I'm gone, yeah I'm going back
And everything you say or do is mellow
She keeps everything all right
And you know that you're the only fellow
Ain't that a groove, ain't that a groove
Ain't that groove, ain't that a groove
Now look here fellows
Girls like to be in a mood
Whenever they think their man is yellow
Hit me band You fight real hard
To make things right 'cause he's the only fellow
Now ain't that a groove
Ain't that a groove do you hear me people
Ain't that a groove, ain't the a groove
Look you here I want to know do you love me, yes I love you
One more time, do you love me, yes I really, really do
Do you love me baby, yes I love you
I just gone, gotta, know
Hit me band
One more again
Look you here
I got to tell you, dig this
This will kill you
A little piece of money and plenty of love
Will keep everything together, come on band
Well forget about the money
Plenty of love and ain't that mellow
Now ain't that a groove, it's go groovy
Ain't that a groove, it's so groovy
Ain't that a groove, it's so groovy
Ain't that a groove
Look here, I'm not gonna talk all day
But 1, I wanted to get the feeling
One more time
Hit me band, listen to that band
I want to ask them
Do you love me, yes I love you
Do you love me baby, yes I love you
Do you love me, yes I love you
I just gotta, gotta, know
Hey ain't that a groove
Ain't that a groove let me count
One for the meney, two for the show
Ain't that a groove now here we go
Goin 'on, and one more thing
I want to say, this is better than cushions
Christmas only comes once a year
And this is all year bound
People can, I'm livin'
Let me out, I'm gone, yeah I'm going back
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Ain't That a Groove, Pt. 1 Lyrics as written by Nat Jones James Brown
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.