"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.
There seems to be inside of me
A sense of urgency
That my walls are closing in
That my time is running out
My hands are shaking
My hands, my hands are shaking
At the sudden realization
that I am more than flesh and bone
I'm getting more nervous
I'm getting more anxious
All I am is simple hands dying trying to make amends
They are scarred and they are blistered
Regardless I am relentless
The bleeding never ends
I am pressing on, but these are not my hands
If there is strength
left in these legs to run
I'm going to carry my glory to the rising sun
Have faith
providence will provide
All I am is a simple, subtle song
Singing into the wind
always believing
I am much too strong to ever stop repeating
Yet I stumble and I fall
I am only a collapsing wall
My voice fails me
I'm afraid to lift it up
I hear the silver sparrows singing
Tomorrow morning is coming
With its own set of troubles
But there is light at the end of the tunnel
And it will be enough
Don't you dare ever give up
I don't know what tomorrow will bring
From the next to the next day
It's starting to get to me
It's creeping up my spine
If it's true heaven is on our side
There is nothing left for us to hide
"We will mount up with wings like eagles into the morning sky"
A sense of urgency
That my walls are closing in
That my time is running out
My hands are shaking
My hands, my hands are shaking
At the sudden realization
that I am more than flesh and bone
I'm getting more nervous
I'm getting more anxious
All I am is simple hands dying trying to make amends
They are scarred and they are blistered
Regardless I am relentless
The bleeding never ends
I am pressing on, but these are not my hands
If there is strength
left in these legs to run
I'm going to carry my glory to the rising sun
Have faith
providence will provide
All I am is a simple, subtle song
Singing into the wind
always believing
I am much too strong to ever stop repeating
Yet I stumble and I fall
I am only a collapsing wall
My voice fails me
I'm afraid to lift it up
I hear the silver sparrows singing
Tomorrow morning is coming
With its own set of troubles
But there is light at the end of the tunnel
And it will be enough
Don't you dare ever give up
I don't know what tomorrow will bring
From the next to the next day
It's starting to get to me
It's creeping up my spine
If it's true heaven is on our side
There is nothing left for us to hide
"We will mount up with wings like eagles into the morning sky"
Lyrics submitted by dondraper
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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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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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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“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.