"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.
So, you said you wanted a song
To lift you from the aching of a Valentine's alone
Well I wrote you this to tell you it is done
So forget him now, forget him
He is gone
Listen, babe
If I were there today
I'd pick you up, take you by the hand, and lead you home
To a certain place that we both know
Wear your favourite summer dress and take my arm
And off in the evening we'll go
Wander beneath the marble arches, singin'
(Chorus)
The Louvre under the sun
The Louvre under the sun
Though I don't understand it at all
I feel like I've known it all along
I'm a certain kind of a guy
Who thinks you're fine, adores the freckles pinned beneath your eyes
In fact, I'd say they drive me kind of wild
And that is that and that I can't deny
So let's stay up talking far too late
I want to find the secrets that you keep from everyone else
And rest assured I know you'll know me well
Ask me anything you want, girl, and I will tell you all
The violins clear their wooden throats
Murmuring incantations
Soft and low for us
And it goes
(Chorus)
The Louvre under the sun
The Louvre under the sun
Though I don't understand it at all
I feel like I've known it all along
The Louvre under the sun
The Louvre under the sun
Though I don't understand it at all
I feel like I've known it all along
So, babe
Let's inquire a fate
And draw some straws and ask them should we leave or should we stay
But I think we know just what they're going to say
I think we know just what they're going to say
To lift you from the aching of a Valentine's alone
Well I wrote you this to tell you it is done
So forget him now, forget him
He is gone
Listen, babe
If I were there today
I'd pick you up, take you by the hand, and lead you home
To a certain place that we both know
Wear your favourite summer dress and take my arm
And off in the evening we'll go
Wander beneath the marble arches, singin'
(Chorus)
The Louvre under the sun
The Louvre under the sun
Though I don't understand it at all
I feel like I've known it all along
I'm a certain kind of a guy
Who thinks you're fine, adores the freckles pinned beneath your eyes
In fact, I'd say they drive me kind of wild
And that is that and that I can't deny
So let's stay up talking far too late
I want to find the secrets that you keep from everyone else
And rest assured I know you'll know me well
Ask me anything you want, girl, and I will tell you all
The violins clear their wooden throats
Murmuring incantations
Soft and low for us
And it goes
(Chorus)
The Louvre under the sun
The Louvre under the sun
Though I don't understand it at all
I feel like I've known it all along
The Louvre under the sun
The Louvre under the sun
Though I don't understand it at all
I feel like I've known it all along
So, babe
Let's inquire a fate
And draw some straws and ask them should we leave or should we stay
But I think we know just what they're going to say
I think we know just what they're going to say
Lyrics submitted by MrPeriwinkle, edited by iamthemisfit
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
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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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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”
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
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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.
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.
He wants to take her away from someone else who's dragging her down. He appreciates her more than other people do, those freckles that drive him wild. That is that and that he can't deny. He knows he wants her. They have a connection. They can talk for hours. They share a history. They have places & moments & memories. They share intimate details. They like the same music. A connection. Perhaps they were former lovers.
It's clear that they have something, but they're note sure if they should be together. It's all there in plain sight, like the Louvre under the sun. But how do you really know what a work of art is trying to say? It's right there, but you don't know what it is. You have an idea, but you're not sure. She's right there, he's right there, there's something there, but what is it? And where is it going?
Perhaps fate knows the answer. Perhaps they already do.
God, I love this song. Haha! :)