"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.
Well I'm sure it's complicated
And I'm sure your story goes way back
But you're looking desperate lately
And now, is not the time, to look like that
I don't know if he did it
And I won't ask
There's a lot of good women
With a lot of bad backs
Your man said something heavy
It already looks bad
Careful what you carry on his behalf
And I know he's thinking of you too
Not the type to snitch and run but
But sometimes they say it's the plain truth
99 problems ugh
Well I don't don't need need need to know
But there's a set of my keys left under your door
And if you need a place to sleep tonight
Well that's what family's for
I don't don't need need need to know
But I'd put on my best fresh little black dress
And go get seen tonight
Work on that alibi of yours
I don't mean to be your mother
Got my own kids to raise
And I don't aim to blow your cover
It's your own hell to pay
But the word on the street is a page out of Blake
Your man made money
But he made mistakes
Now the revelation's coming looks to you for a break
You've always been cunning with those brave escapes but
Take a minute now
Think this through
Give it a second and a bird's eye view
Think of the moments you've got left to loose
Like how much time are you really, down to do?
Well I don't don't need need need to know
But there's a set of my keys left under your door
And if you need a place to sleep tonight
Well that's what family's for
I don't don't need need need to know
But I'd put on my best fresh little black dress
And go get seen tonight
Work on that alibi of yours
Now I've seen the way that you count your blessings
Like hatch marks on the wall
And I've seen you coming out of Sunday confession
With a numbered list and all
Now I don't bow my head for supper
I never do kneel besides my bed
But it looks like your afterlife is covered
I hope on Earth you're careful kid
I don't don't need need need to know
But there's a set of my keys left under my door
And if you need a place to sleep tonight
Well that's what family's for
I don't don't need need need to know
But I'd put on my best fresh little black dress
And go get seen tonight
Work on that alibi of yours
And I'm sure your story goes way back
But you're looking desperate lately
And now, is not the time, to look like that
I don't know if he did it
And I won't ask
There's a lot of good women
With a lot of bad backs
Your man said something heavy
It already looks bad
Careful what you carry on his behalf
And I know he's thinking of you too
Not the type to snitch and run but
But sometimes they say it's the plain truth
99 problems ugh
Well I don't don't need need need to know
But there's a set of my keys left under your door
And if you need a place to sleep tonight
Well that's what family's for
I don't don't need need need to know
But I'd put on my best fresh little black dress
And go get seen tonight
Work on that alibi of yours
I don't mean to be your mother
Got my own kids to raise
And I don't aim to blow your cover
It's your own hell to pay
But the word on the street is a page out of Blake
Your man made money
But he made mistakes
Now the revelation's coming looks to you for a break
You've always been cunning with those brave escapes but
Take a minute now
Think this through
Give it a second and a bird's eye view
Think of the moments you've got left to loose
Like how much time are you really, down to do?
Well I don't don't need need need to know
But there's a set of my keys left under your door
And if you need a place to sleep tonight
Well that's what family's for
I don't don't need need need to know
But I'd put on my best fresh little black dress
And go get seen tonight
Work on that alibi of yours
Now I've seen the way that you count your blessings
Like hatch marks on the wall
And I've seen you coming out of Sunday confession
With a numbered list and all
Now I don't bow my head for supper
I never do kneel besides my bed
But it looks like your afterlife is covered
I hope on Earth you're careful kid
I don't don't need need need to know
But there's a set of my keys left under my door
And if you need a place to sleep tonight
Well that's what family's for
I don't don't need need need to know
But I'd put on my best fresh little black dress
And go get seen tonight
Work on that alibi of yours
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
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.