"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.
Oh, go your way
I'll take the long way 'round
I'll find my own way down
Oh, as I should
And hold your gaze
There's coke in the Midas touch
A joke in the way that we rust
And breathe again
And you'll find loss
And you'll fear what you found
When the weather comes, oh
Tearing down
There'll be oats in the water
There'll be birds on the ground
There'll be things you never asked her
Oh, how they tear at you now
Oh, go your way
Oh, I'll take the long way 'round
Oh, I'll find my own way down
Oh, as I should
And hold your gaze
There's coke in the Midas touch
A joke in the way that we rust
And breathe again
And you'll find loss
And you'll fear what you found
When the weather comes
Tearing down
There'll be oats in the water
There'll be birds on the ground
There'll be things you never asked her
Oh, how they tear at you now
I'll take the long way 'round
I'll find my own way down
Oh, as I should
And hold your gaze
There's coke in the Midas touch
A joke in the way that we rust
And breathe again
And you'll find loss
And you'll fear what you found
When the weather comes, oh
Tearing down
There'll be oats in the water
There'll be birds on the ground
There'll be things you never asked her
Oh, how they tear at you now
Oh, go your way
Oh, I'll take the long way 'round
Oh, I'll find my own way down
Oh, as I should
And hold your gaze
There's coke in the Midas touch
A joke in the way that we rust
And breathe again
And you'll find loss
And you'll fear what you found
When the weather comes
Tearing down
There'll be oats in the water
There'll be birds on the ground
There'll be things you never asked her
Oh, how they tear at you now
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
This is obviously a goodbye song. He was not on good terms with whoever he was saying goodbye to. As to who he was speaking to, I have no clue. I don't think this is a breakup song. His imagery gives lots of detail as to the intensity of the relationship. Oats in the water resembles things left with no conclusion. The birds on the ground means that those conclusions were eaten up and lost by time. I freakin love this song. I have a huge mancrush on Ben Howard!