"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.
When I close my eyes, I can see for miles
There's comfort in my dark seat
And chaos in the aisles
These eyes are not your eyes
And these eyes are not the color that
Your arid eyes might be
No, I was not around
When those eyes of yours decided so
I refuse to kneel before
The sights you choose to see
When I close my eyes, I remember why I smile
Under my umbrella, I'm an accomplished exile
These eyes are not your eyes
And these eyes are not the color that
Your arid eyes might be
No, I was not around
When those eyes of yours decided so
I refuse to kneel before the sights you choose to see
If this is right, I'd rather be wrong
If this is sight, I'd rather be blind
These eyes are not your eyes
And these eyes are not the color that
Your arid eyes might be
No, I was not around
When those eyes of yours decided so
I refuse to kneel before the sights you choose to see
If this is right, I'd rather be wrong
If this is sight, I'd rather be blind
There's comfort in my dark seat
And chaos in the aisles
These eyes are not your eyes
And these eyes are not the color that
Your arid eyes might be
No, I was not around
When those eyes of yours decided so
I refuse to kneel before
The sights you choose to see
When I close my eyes, I remember why I smile
Under my umbrella, I'm an accomplished exile
These eyes are not your eyes
And these eyes are not the color that
Your arid eyes might be
No, I was not around
When those eyes of yours decided so
I refuse to kneel before the sights you choose to see
If this is right, I'd rather be wrong
If this is sight, I'd rather be blind
These eyes are not your eyes
And these eyes are not the color that
Your arid eyes might be
No, I was not around
When those eyes of yours decided so
I refuse to kneel before the sights you choose to see
If this is right, I'd rather be wrong
If this is sight, I'd rather be blind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
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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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
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 one of the greatest songs ever written. im serious, this is the most underappreciated song ive ever heard.
"when i close my eyes i can see for miles" - when things start to seem like they're too much to take, just close your eyes and pretend everything's alright, therefore seeing for miles.
"there's comfort in my dark seat and chaos in the aisles" - from the view of an outcast in society, watching the world around him/her. there's comfort in his loneliness while hes watching all the chaos in the world around him. if you've ever been in this position this is such a perfect description.
"These eyes are not your eyes And these eyes are not the colors that Your arid eyes might be" - watching a friend change with society, or becoming popular. the outcast knows who the real person is and is seeing the person/friend he knew change into something they aren't. the other lines are basically saying well, maybe i never really knew the real person. they might really be who they're becoming.
"Now I was not around When those eyes of yours decided so I refuse to kneel before the sights you chose to see" - basically, this is about not wanting to comform to society and having your life controlled. 'the sights you chose to see' basically is saying i refuse to live my life the way you've already decided for me
"When I close my eyes I remember why I smile" - same as first two lines of song
"Under my umbrella I'm an accomplished exile" - under my umbrella is a metaphor for kind of like, watching society from your safe little haven. watching people go to waste, etc. just wondering how people can be so stupid...and trying to do the right thing.
Chorus twice, then this
"If this is right... I'd rather be wrong... If this is sight... I'd rather be blind! " - if what society deems normal is right/sight, then i'd rather be wrong/blind...
i think its about..perspective.. its about how we chose to see things and the way we decide to respond.. we dont have to do the same things..or act the same way.. its about how right its to be wrong...and how wrong its to be politicly correct.. its okay to be "different"..its good to be unique.
if this is sight i'd rather be blind
what the fuck, does it get any better than this?
If you don't agree with my above translation, whatever. :p
@mrclean no dude, your take on the song, albeit twenty years ago, was/is spot-fucking-on. And now I'm here leaving my mark in the dusty trophycase of history
I am a metaphor-happy person, and in this song I see the eyes portraying the mind. I'll rewrite the chorus as I see its meaning:
This mind is not your mind And this mind isn't the kind of mind your dry mind might be I was not yet born when that mind of yours decided (chose, or conformed) So I refuse to submit to the thoughts you choose to think
I guess the mind he isn't conforming to is the mind of society and those around him.
But that's just my personal interpretation.
Its about having the ability to turn off to the world that is presented to you ("close my eyes, see for miles"=meditation). In a meditative state, a peaceful state of mind, you can definitely get a much broader view of your life ("I can see for miles"). Then we get to the confrontational aspect of this song - "These eyes are not your eyes, etc.." and I think this gets into him standing up for what he believes - that life is full of potential, but your "arid eyes" can't see that. To put it another way, someone else has a habitual, mundane existence and Boyd is at once confronting him about it, while at the same time denying the fact that existence is mundane at all. We choose how adventurous our lives are to become. Also, the lyrics aren't posted correctly, as pointed out earlier: "i was not around when those eyes of yours decided, so i refuse to kneel before the sights you choose to see." - which is the very essence of the song - both confronting someone who lives a stale life, while at the same time explaining that life is what you make of it. To me, this is entirely true - and that which makes our lives stale is our own fear of changing, our own fear of the unknown.
is no one going to correct the lyrics?
its "I refuse to kneel before the sights you choose to see!"
"When they chose to kneel before the sun could touch the sea" doesnt even make any sense. PAY ATTENTION
I have to say I like this song a lot. It has several different meanings to me but its groovy.
This song is much like many other Incubus songs in that it has the message of seeing things through your own eyes, and not others. Do what you want, not what society and others tell you to do.
The chorus line should read
"Now I was not around, when those eyes of your's decided so I refuse to kneel before the sights you choose to see!"
Am I right?
That is definitely incorrect, considering you have an apostrophe in what should be "yours". Pronouns don't use possessive apostrophes.