"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.
BUILDINGZ BY KAZELOON
I PUT THEM SKYSCRAPER BUILDINGZ IN HER FOREHEAD-I KEEP THE BUILDING LIGHTS ETERNAL GLOWING-WHEN I'M FREESTYLE FLOWING-I WAS A O.G BEFORE O.G'S-COULD EVEN JUDGE AND DEEM B.G'S TO O.G'S-I WAS BUILDING UP DA HOOD BEFORE MOST OF DA BIG HOMIEZ-I'M FEELING LIKE DA MAN-ALL BLACC-LIKE A BLACC ACTOR WAY BACC-WHILE THEY HATING ON MY OSCAR LIKE PAY BACC-I'M MR.WASHINGTON WHO NEEDS TO GO BAD-LEAN GIRLZ ON ME 2 BAD U GOTTA FLIRT-CUZ THEY 2 FLI U GOTTA RETWEET TILL IT HURTS-I'M 2 OLD SCHOOL I TEACH THEM ABOUT DA RULES THAT I LEARNED IN PRISON-BEFORE EVEN BEING SENTENCED OR COMMITED-TO STATE Y.A AND PRISON-IMA PATRIOT I GOTTA TIGHT END-BACCSTABBED BY FRIENDS-REASONABLE DOUBT LIKE AARON HERNANDEZ-THEM FAKE FRIENDS-WILL PIN-ANYTHING ON A REAL NIG-JUST TO WIN-A TITLE THEY COULD NEVER WIN-AND SO THEY COULD DUCC DA PEN-WERE THEY ARE WANTED-BY THE SAME ALEDGED MEN-THEY PUT IN-BY ILLEGAL ACTS OF ENTRAPMENT-WHICH THEY MADE LEGAL BY PLAYING DA FEDS AGAIN-THEY SO CORNY THE ONES GETTING SUED-FUCC A SETTLEMENT THEY GON SETTLE FOR THE JUDGE OR JURY'S RULE-DO PEOPLE A FAVOR SO YOU NEVER HAVE TO DEAL WITH DEM FOOLS-CLEAN EM OUT I EVEN WANT THEY FAKE JEWELS-A BOLEX OKAY-LIKE O.J-GIVE ME DAT IT WILL WORK LIKE BOWFLEX ALL DAY-MY REAL FREAK SO QUIET CUZ I GAVE HER MY CUCUMBER-22 HER NUMBER-GROWN WITH RADIOACTIVE MUTAGEN-DATS WHY SHE ON MUTE MY FRIEND-I'M ON POP SINCE A KID-BUBBLE YUM BUBBLE GUM BOOMBOX HITZ-THAT WILL CATCH THE GINGER BREAD MAN BEFORE HE RUNNING-BIG HITZ BEFORE 2PAC AND BIGGIE RUNNING-I SCRATCH THE ITCHING BEFORE THE KILLING-WITH READY TO DIE FEELING-NOW WHAT THE HELL AWOLED FROM THE P.C YARD AND CRAWLED UNDER YO BED?-YOU A LIZARD HEAD NOT A DRAGON HEAD-ALL YOU DO IS TALK ABOUT NONSENSE-NO DOLLARS DON'T MAKE SENSE-KEEP YOUR BROKE CHANGE LINT-YOU HATE ON YOUR OWN KIND LIKE POLE POT DAT BENDZ-NOT A DRAGON HEAD JUST A STRAIGHT DICCHEAD-DILO NAW YOU DIED HOE-WE KNOW WHAT YOU DO JUST TO LIVE HIGH HOE-NO REBUILDING A FOUNDATION YOU TRIED TO BREAK-A TRADER FROM THE GATE-MAD CUHZZ YOU AIN'T GOT NO DATE-EXCEPT YOUR DINNER DATES-TRILLA IN MANILLA SUGAR CANE-WITH A EXTRA SIDE OF EGGROLLS EXTRA BOILED MANG-THEY LACC THE SUSTANANCE THAT THE FLOW ENDURES TO BREATHE-A PURE SYMPHONY OF IMMORAL GREED-THEY GET CONSUMED BY THE WANT OF THE NEED-THEY SAY MISERY LOVES COMPANY-BUT COMPANY HATES TO LEAVE-ONCE YOU CLOSE THE DOOR IT'S THE END OF THE RETREAT-IMA PILLOSAPHER-A PILL DROPPER-IS MERELY A PILL WAITING TO DISOLVE IN A SYSTEM OF A DOWN-A SWEET BUT GRUNGE FEELING AS YOU SLOWLY COME DOWN-I'D RATHER BUILD THINGS THAT ARE OF GODLY PRESTIEGE-FABREGE EGGS I DECORATE WHEN I BE FREESTYLEAN-STREAM TO SUCCEED-MUSIC IS MY THUG PASSION ON MY VAN GOUGH-WHEN I FINALLY GO TO MY THUG MANSION WATCHING OUT 4 DA MARKS ON DA LOW-MARKLAND CLOSE-SO I GOTTA MOVE LIKE A GHOST-I RIP EXCLUSIVE BEATLES-THAT GET ME FLAMING HOT CHEETOS-I BRING IT FOR THE HOOD FROM THE CENTER LIKE LEDO-I MADE YA GEORGIE POURGIE CRY-THEN I RIPPED OFF YOUR ARM AND MADE IT MINES-MY CLOTHESLINE-THEN HUNG YOU ON IT OUT TO DRY-STAY PENNYWISE-SAVE YOUR MONEY BUILD A NEW LIFE-BUT DON'T BRAG OR FLOSS IT COULD BE YOUR DOWN SIZE-I SPIT AND SPIN SETS-LIKE THE SPINNERS TO SPINNERETS-I TURN DA CALIFORNIA SINGING RAISINS TO RAISINETS-I KEEP DEM FREE RECORDZ SPINNING CITCH-BLUE MING GOLIATH TRAPSTARZ SPINNING DEM NETZ-SPITTIN WEBZ OF DEATH-WE TAKE DEM BIRDZ-TO OUR UNDERGROUND TURF-AND COOK EM IN DA MIDDLE OF DA EARTH-I REBUILD DA EARTH-WITH ONE VERSE-NO REHEARSE-THIS BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED UNTIL DA BLACC HEARSE-IT'S DA BATTLE OF THE WHITE GIFT VERSUS DA BLACC CURSE-DEM HOEZ WANNA ACT LIKE DEY LACC DA THURST-UNTIL I DO EM LIKE A RATCHET NERD-AND TELL EM 2 DASH AND SKURT-TELL EM TO FIND A HERO-CUZ HE A HO-TO BE YOUR LOW PRO-MY SOUND GOT BUILDINGS BOUNCIN LIKE LOLOS-LIKE PARKING GARAGES FILLED WITH BOUNCING LOLOS-BOUNCING ALL DA WAY TO OTHER ZIP CODE ZONES-BROKEN T.V SCREENS IN A T.V REPAIR SHOP THAT WILL NEVER BE FIXED-IN A DESERTED GHOSTOWN IS THEY LIFE THAT WILL FOREVER BE MISSED-THEY CAN'T BE HEARD LIKE THE TUMBLEWEEDS TO THE TREE THAT FELL WHEN NO ONE WAS AROUND-DID IT MAKE A NOISE OR SOUND?-I'M ON DAT EX DOMINOE CEO BY DA POUND 4 POUND-I'M SLAMING SKYSCRAPES LIKE BONEZ FROM TOWN TA TOWN-
I PUT THEM SKYSCRAPER BUILDINGZ IN HER FOREHEAD-I KEEP THE BUILDING LIGHTS ETERNAL GLOWING-WHEN I'M FREESTYLE FLOWING-I WAS A O.G BEFORE O.G'S-COULD EVEN JUDGE AND DEEM B.G'S TO O.G'S-I WAS BUILDING UP DA HOOD BEFORE MOST OF DA BIG HOMIEZ-I'M FEELING LIKE DA MAN-ALL BLACC-LIKE A BLACC ACTOR WAY BACC-WHILE THEY HATING ON MY OSCAR LIKE PAY BACC-I'M MR.WASHINGTON WHO NEEDS TO GO BAD-LEAN GIRLZ ON ME 2 BAD U GOTTA FLIRT-CUZ THEY 2 FLI U GOTTA RETWEET TILL IT HURTS-I'M 2 OLD SCHOOL I TEACH THEM ABOUT DA RULES THAT I LEARNED IN PRISON-BEFORE EVEN BEING SENTENCED OR COMMITED-TO STATE Y.A AND PRISON-IMA PATRIOT I GOTTA TIGHT END-BACCSTABBED BY FRIENDS-REASONABLE DOUBT LIKE AARON HERNANDEZ-THEM FAKE FRIENDS-WILL PIN-ANYTHING ON A REAL NIG-JUST TO WIN-A TITLE THEY COULD NEVER WIN-AND SO THEY COULD DUCC DA PEN-WERE THEY ARE WANTED-BY THE SAME ALEDGED MEN-THEY PUT IN-BY ILLEGAL ACTS OF ENTRAPMENT-WHICH THEY MADE LEGAL BY PLAYING DA FEDS AGAIN-THEY SO CORNY THE ONES GETTING SUED-FUCC A SETTLEMENT THEY GON SETTLE FOR THE JUDGE OR JURY'S RULE-DO PEOPLE A FAVOR SO YOU NEVER HAVE TO DEAL WITH DEM FOOLS-CLEAN EM OUT I EVEN WANT THEY FAKE JEWELS-A BOLEX OKAY-LIKE O.J-GIVE ME DAT IT WILL WORK LIKE BOWFLEX ALL DAY-MY REAL FREAK SO QUIET CUZ I GAVE HER MY CUCUMBER-22 HER NUMBER-GROWN WITH RADIOACTIVE MUTAGEN-DATS WHY SHE ON MUTE MY FRIEND-I'M ON POP SINCE A KID-BUBBLE YUM BUBBLE GUM BOOMBOX HITZ-THAT WILL CATCH THE GINGER BREAD MAN BEFORE HE RUNNING-BIG HITZ BEFORE 2PAC AND BIGGIE RUNNING-I SCRATCH THE ITCHING BEFORE THE KILLING-WITH READY TO DIE FEELING-NOW WHAT THE HELL AWOLED FROM THE P.C YARD AND CRAWLED UNDER YO BED?-YOU A LIZARD HEAD NOT A DRAGON HEAD-ALL YOU DO IS TALK ABOUT NONSENSE-NO DOLLARS DON'T MAKE SENSE-KEEP YOUR BROKE CHANGE LINT-YOU HATE ON YOUR OWN KIND LIKE POLE POT DAT BENDZ-NOT A DRAGON HEAD JUST A STRAIGHT DICCHEAD-DILO NAW YOU DIED HOE-WE KNOW WHAT YOU DO JUST TO LIVE HIGH HOE-NO REBUILDING A FOUNDATION YOU TRIED TO BREAK-A TRADER FROM THE GATE-MAD CUHZZ YOU AIN'T GOT NO DATE-EXCEPT YOUR DINNER DATES-TRILLA IN MANILLA SUGAR CANE-WITH A EXTRA SIDE OF EGGROLLS EXTRA BOILED MANG-THEY LACC THE SUSTANANCE THAT THE FLOW ENDURES TO BREATHE-A PURE SYMPHONY OF IMMORAL GREED-THEY GET CONSUMED BY THE WANT OF THE NEED-THEY SAY MISERY LOVES COMPANY-BUT COMPANY HATES TO LEAVE-ONCE YOU CLOSE THE DOOR IT'S THE END OF THE RETREAT-IMA PILLOSAPHER-A PILL DROPPER-IS MERELY A PILL WAITING TO DISOLVE IN A SYSTEM OF A DOWN-A SWEET BUT GRUNGE FEELING AS YOU SLOWLY COME DOWN-I'D RATHER BUILD THINGS THAT ARE OF GODLY PRESTIEGE-FABREGE EGGS I DECORATE WHEN I BE FREESTYLEAN-STREAM TO SUCCEED-MUSIC IS MY THUG PASSION ON MY VAN GOUGH-WHEN I FINALLY GO TO MY THUG MANSION WATCHING OUT 4 DA MARKS ON DA LOW-MARKLAND CLOSE-SO I GOTTA MOVE LIKE A GHOST-I RIP EXCLUSIVE BEATLES-THAT GET ME FLAMING HOT CHEETOS-I BRING IT FOR THE HOOD FROM THE CENTER LIKE LEDO-I MADE YA GEORGIE POURGIE CRY-THEN I RIPPED OFF YOUR ARM AND MADE IT MINES-MY CLOTHESLINE-THEN HUNG YOU ON IT OUT TO DRY-STAY PENNYWISE-SAVE YOUR MONEY BUILD A NEW LIFE-BUT DON'T BRAG OR FLOSS IT COULD BE YOUR DOWN SIZE-I SPIT AND SPIN SETS-LIKE THE SPINNERS TO SPINNERETS-I TURN DA CALIFORNIA SINGING RAISINS TO RAISINETS-I KEEP DEM FREE RECORDZ SPINNING CITCH-BLUE MING GOLIATH TRAPSTARZ SPINNING DEM NETZ-SPITTIN WEBZ OF DEATH-WE TAKE DEM BIRDZ-TO OUR UNDERGROUND TURF-AND COOK EM IN DA MIDDLE OF DA EARTH-I REBUILD DA EARTH-WITH ONE VERSE-NO REHEARSE-THIS BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED UNTIL DA BLACC HEARSE-IT'S DA BATTLE OF THE WHITE GIFT VERSUS DA BLACC CURSE-DEM HOEZ WANNA ACT LIKE DEY LACC DA THURST-UNTIL I DO EM LIKE A RATCHET NERD-AND TELL EM 2 DASH AND SKURT-TELL EM TO FIND A HERO-CUZ HE A HO-TO BE YOUR LOW PRO-MY SOUND GOT BUILDINGS BOUNCIN LIKE LOLOS-LIKE PARKING GARAGES FILLED WITH BOUNCING LOLOS-BOUNCING ALL DA WAY TO OTHER ZIP CODE ZONES-BROKEN T.V SCREENS IN A T.V REPAIR SHOP THAT WILL NEVER BE FIXED-IN A DESERTED GHOSTOWN IS THEY LIFE THAT WILL FOREVER BE MISSED-THEY CAN'T BE HEARD LIKE THE TUMBLEWEEDS TO THE TREE THAT FELL WHEN NO ONE WAS AROUND-DID IT MAKE A NOISE OR SOUND?-I'M ON DAT EX DOMINOE CEO BY DA POUND 4 POUND-I'M SLAMING SKYSCRAPES LIKE BONEZ FROM TOWN TA TOWN-
Lyrics submitted by KRC-Roseland Ent-The Pac-Planet9
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.