"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.
Are you ready to cross over, are you ready to let go?
To face the final curtain
In the land of I Don't Know
Jesus was a wise man
And everyone's a Saint
Are you ready to cross over, are you ready?
You can read the good and bad book
And bring the bad book home
But is it fact or fiction
There's just one way to know
Buddha was dancing, underneath the fig oak tree
He was ready to cross over, he was ready
So why hold on, hold on
It's good that you believe, but it's better if you don't
So hold on, hold on
Someone's there to catch you, when you're ready to let go
I was sitting by the Ganji
Looking for another way
But all roads lead to Heaven
No matter what, they say
Preacher was a good man
Why was he so blue?
He was ready to cross over, he was ready
So why hold on, hold on
It's good that you believe, but it's better if you know
So hold on, hold on
Someone's there to catch you, when you're ready to let go
Play me to Heaven..
Are you ready to cross over, are you ready to let go?
To face the final curtain
In the land of I Don't Know
Every one can get there
Cuz we don't have a soul
Are you ready to cross over, are you ready??
So why hold on, hold on
It's good that you believe, but it's better if you know
So hold on, hold on
Someone's there to catch you when you're ready to let go.
Someone's there to catch you when you're ready to let go.
Someone's there to catch you when you're ready....
To let go.
That's the real thing there, isn't it?
To face the final curtain
In the land of I Don't Know
Jesus was a wise man
And everyone's a Saint
Are you ready to cross over, are you ready?
You can read the good and bad book
And bring the bad book home
But is it fact or fiction
There's just one way to know
Buddha was dancing, underneath the fig oak tree
He was ready to cross over, he was ready
So why hold on, hold on
It's good that you believe, but it's better if you don't
So hold on, hold on
Someone's there to catch you, when you're ready to let go
I was sitting by the Ganji
Looking for another way
But all roads lead to Heaven
No matter what, they say
Preacher was a good man
Why was he so blue?
He was ready to cross over, he was ready
So why hold on, hold on
It's good that you believe, but it's better if you know
So hold on, hold on
Someone's there to catch you, when you're ready to let go
Play me to Heaven..
Are you ready to cross over, are you ready to let go?
To face the final curtain
In the land of I Don't Know
Every one can get there
Cuz we don't have a soul
Are you ready to cross over, are you ready??
So why hold on, hold on
It's good that you believe, but it's better if you know
So hold on, hold on
Someone's there to catch you when you're ready to let go.
Someone's there to catch you when you're ready to let go.
Someone's there to catch you when you're ready....
To let go.
That's the real thing there, isn't it?
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
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.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.