"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.
February 8th, 1878
South of Trout Creek, west of Cedar Lake
On a winding mountain trail of the North Pacific Union Rail
The snow arrived on time, the circus train was running late
Rip spot’s past and all the knuckles worn,
Firebox bursting to the running boards
A pounding in his chest, crushing like a cider press
The hogger rode the throttle ‘round the bender like a flank-strapped horse
“Let’s return now to the dust as the dust we are;
Tonight, our bridal fate, the hour’s come to consummate!”
And drove her massive body like a truck into the iron bars
Limestone thrown from out the hopper’s back
Ash Cat tossed against the diamond stack
From cradle to caboose, the frozen bolts broke loose,
Sent that cage spinning like a dreidel off the icy tracks
Run on, Rabbit, run!
Before the East sky wakes the sun!
Sails set to the dreadful cold,
Until your anchor-heart takes hold
Run on, Fox & Bear,
From this dismal dream’s despair!
Cast thoughts to in the open ocean of air
Until your thread catch somewhere
“Mother, please come along!”
“My tusks are dull, my eyes, half-blind,
Too old to run, too big to hide,
And have neither friend nor enemy,
Nor that phantom, ‘self’-identity
Nor concern for what ‘they’ll’ do to ‘me’
Now, my children, run free!”
But Tiger, why sit still,
As the officers climb the hill?
What stars cast down their spears,
Cooled your fire with their tears?
“Gone that siren’s sound,
It’s a silence now pours down
Gone, my next of kin,
And all once without now lives within”
“Topiary Tiger, once burned bright
Save your tales of gnostic sight
And take heed on this (most) auspicious night!
Topiary Tiger, once burned bright”
South of Trout Creek, west of Cedar Lake
On a winding mountain trail of the North Pacific Union Rail
The snow arrived on time, the circus train was running late
Rip spot’s past and all the knuckles worn,
Firebox bursting to the running boards
A pounding in his chest, crushing like a cider press
The hogger rode the throttle ‘round the bender like a flank-strapped horse
“Let’s return now to the dust as the dust we are;
Tonight, our bridal fate, the hour’s come to consummate!”
And drove her massive body like a truck into the iron bars
Limestone thrown from out the hopper’s back
Ash Cat tossed against the diamond stack
From cradle to caboose, the frozen bolts broke loose,
Sent that cage spinning like a dreidel off the icy tracks
Run on, Rabbit, run!
Before the East sky wakes the sun!
Sails set to the dreadful cold,
Until your anchor-heart takes hold
Run on, Fox & Bear,
From this dismal dream’s despair!
Cast thoughts to in the open ocean of air
Until your thread catch somewhere
“Mother, please come along!”
“My tusks are dull, my eyes, half-blind,
Too old to run, too big to hide,
And have neither friend nor enemy,
Nor that phantom, ‘self’-identity
Nor concern for what ‘they’ll’ do to ‘me’
Now, my children, run free!”
But Tiger, why sit still,
As the officers climb the hill?
What stars cast down their spears,
Cooled your fire with their tears?
“Gone that siren’s sound,
It’s a silence now pours down
Gone, my next of kin,
And all once without now lives within”
“Topiary Tiger, once burned bright
Save your tales of gnostic sight
And take heed on this (most) auspicious night!
Topiary Tiger, once burned bright”
Lyrics submitted by Waltronnn, edited by MarcoPoloShirt
February, 1878 Lyrics as written by Brandon Beaver Aaron Weiss
Lyrics © TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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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if this song is any sort of an indication, I like the sound they're going with on this album. It harkens back to the days of Brother, Sister. Also, the William Blake reference is quite fitting...
William Blake - The Tyger
Tyger, Tyger, burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art, Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? what dread grasp Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears And water'd heaven with their tears, Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger, Tyger, burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
I think that the Elephant in this song is a sort of Christ figure. She causes the train car to crash off the icy tracks by slamming her body into the side of the car, knowing she was unable to escape while the other animals can, providing an escape from their cages and the train while she is left to die in the wreckage.
After listening to Elephant in the Dock, I have to agree with the thought that the Elephant represents Christ. Here She is clearly willing to sacrifice Herself so that the other animals can go free. <br /> <br /> Just my thoughts on it anyway.
I think you're on the right track, especially because that helps make Elephant in the Dock a reference to "God in the Dock" by C. S. Lewis.
I absolutely agree with you here! Although I'm still going though some of the songs and trying to make sense with them.. I was thinking this ever since the first time I heard Elephant in the Dock. I feel like many parts of that song are speaking of biblical references and when the crowd says the elephant must hang.. its just like when they say Jesus must be crucified!.. I'll have to look through and comment on it more..
Aaron Weiss is one of the most underrated poets of XXI century! I also love the subtle reference to January 1979
It seems to me there are some pretty strong parallels to the story of Casey Jones and Ole 382 as well.
Read the story of Casey Jones' death:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Jones
Awesome story!
"Grist for the Malady Mill references him!<br /> <br /> "Casey Jones walked slow to the prison cell.."
yep, heard that one and was thinking "wow Feb 1878 reminds me of the Casey Jones story"<br /> <br /> can't wait to see these guys in Birmingham again
"We’ll return now to the dust, for the dust we are!" Genesis 3:19/Ecclesiastes 3:20?
Always count on mewithoutYou for Bible references.
and they do it so beautifully too...
I think the 2nd to last line is "save me from this auspicious night". and the line before it is different too. It's tough to tell with Aaron's lyrics though, because he's so careful with his words.
Such an intriguing song, I love the mixture of both singing and the older shouting. I love how you got the lyrics so soon after the song was released, so good job on that.
On a not, regarding the rest of the album. I have seen a few youtube videos of some new songs and they aren't all like this. The only other "hard" song Iv'e heard was "Fox's Dream."
On Amazon they had clips of all the songs and they were all great, but not as heavy. It seemed like a mixture between the Instrumentals of Foxes with the singing of It's All Crazy. Nonetheless, I'm preordering the crap out of the deluxe vinyl.
So was a tiger unable to escape at the end? Can't quite figure what's happening there.
Nevermind, solved my own question. The tiger is able to escape, but does not and stays in his cage as well...as he is a creature of habit (just like human beings).
February 8th, 1878 South of Trout Creek, west of Cedar Lake On a winding mountain trail of the North Pacific Union Rail The snow arrived on time, the circus train was running late Rip spot’s past and all the knuckles worn, Firebox bursting to the running boards A pounding in his chest, crushing like a cider press The hogger rode the throttle ‘round the bender like a flank-strapped horse
ELEPHANT [addressing the frightened animal car]:
“Let’s return now to the dust as the dust we are; tonight, our bridal fate, the hour’s come to consummate!” And drove her massive body like a truck into the iron bars Limestone thrown from out the hopper’s back Ash Cat tossed against the diamond stack from cradle to caboose, the frozen bolts broke loose, sent that cage spinning like a dreidel off the icy tracks
Run on, Rabbit, run! Before the East sky wakes the sun! Sails set to the dreadful cold, Until your anchor-heart takes hold Run on, Fox & Bear, From this dismal dream’s despair! Cast thoughts to in the open ocean of air Until your thread catch somewhere
ANIMALS: “Mother, please come along!” ELEPHANT [from inside her cage]:
“My tusks are dull, my eyes, half-blind, too old to run, too big to hide, and have neither friend nor enemy, nor that phantom, ‘self’-identity nor concern for what ‘they’ll’ do to ‘me’ now, my children, run free!”
But Tiger, why sit still, As the officers climb the hill? What stars cast down their spears, cooled your fire with their tears?
TIGER: “Gone that siren’s sound, it’s a silence now pours down Gone, my next of kin, and all once without now lives within”
FOX & RABBIT: “Topiary Tiger, once burned bright save your tales of gnostic sight and take heed on this (most) auspicious night! Topiary Tiger, once burned bright”
English's not my native language. Please, can some one explain to me this line:
what is Rip spot?
A RIP spot is an area on a rail line where a train can stop for minor repairs before continuing on. <br /> <br /> The point here being that the train is moving very quickly trying to make it on time, and the train is struggling because it didn't receive the repairs at the RIP spot.
Well versed in English; not so much with trains. I had no idea what a RIP Spot was, so thank you for the information.