"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.
In these times we gotta hustle 'cause our pockets be hurt
Lil niggas wanna get fronted from who got work
Is she ready for that, you wanna wash the bus
Let a nigga know where they at so ain't no stoppin' us
If you handle yo business right I'mma promote yo ass
You bitch out and try to kite I'mma come smoke yo ass
The shit that I'm givin' you they tryin' blood ta get
The vicks be runnin' through because they love the shit
So don't come with that no one bout it shit was cool
Niggas tried ta rob me nobody was comin' through
Snitches I can't have that
Bitches I can't have that
Riches you can have that
Just bring me my cash back
Look its all gravy with me go head and shine
That's how you play it with me ya big time
All I want is the Gs
With a trunk full of keys
A Benz on twenties
You got something you can lend me
Shit nigga I ain't doing nothin' for me for free
Can't put no trust in you niggas cuz yall be tryin' ta run G
Cause I don't like dreamin' bout makin' no cheese
Wanna see my muthafuckin' bank account O.D.ed
Until then I'mma be thuggin' behind a project buildin'
Smokin' that fire be with the ghetto children
Plottin' on a way that we can make a million (million lawd lawd)
Until then I'mma be thuggin' behind a project buildin'
Smokin' that fire be with the ghetto children
Plottin' on a way that we can make a million (million lawd lawd)
Now I'm on some shit again
Leave a nigga stranded like Gilligan
Hundreds I'm considerin'
Lex it for a million
Catch a nigga I'm killin' em
They stunt but I ain't feelin' em
My jacket off appearin' them
Some a say it's numerary
Parntnas in for sipperin'
Juvenile is different
Look at what I did to them
Niggas wearin' Reeboks instead of Nikes and Timbalands
Bitch niggas I be tippin' em
My mac nine it be flippin' em
Some of these niggas is tryin' ta run G
So I be gippin' em
They would do the same to me
Niggas ain't no family
Shit is all a game to me
But nobody gone handle me
Four hundred degreez
Tottin' guns runnin' with me
No wonder we need
Mo money one could receive
Nigga wanna deal with this Christ
I'mma put it open in his life
Never should I fuck with me right
Why you keep duckin' me shy
I'mma knock ya head off
Nigga tryin' ta get to ya fuck tryin' to play it off
You made the beef nigga so why is you scared
If you mind yo fuckin' business then yo life would be spared
I can't see it
Nigga try ta make me out a bitch I can't be it
I had a muthafuckin' problem with niggas like freed me
You probably can save yall self but you can't save yall neighbors
Um, and now I got cha spinnin' on round like a baseball playa
Put on this potato on the end of my nine
Foolishness I entertain to keep these niggas in line
Look cause I don't like to dream about makin' no cheese
Wanna see my muthafuckin' bank account OD'ed
Until then I'mma be thuggin' behind a project buildin'
Smokin' that fire be with the ghetto children
Plottin' on a way that we can make a million (million lawd lawd)
Until then I'mma be thuggin' behind a project buildin'
Plottin' on a way that we can make a million
Smokin' that fire be with the ghetto children
Ask them niggas bout me
Bet them bitches know me
Magnolia head buster out that wild T.C
I'mma young nigga
Look at what ya done nigga
You done made me mad
Now I'm goin' get my gun nigga
Betta watch cha tongue nigga
Cause I'm gettin' dumb nigga
Killed one nigga
Represent where I'm from nigga
Three thangs you don't never do: fuck with a man, his change, or his mama
You do that, you want drama
Fuck with a big tyma, fo sho you gone see
I'm out cha which one of you boys want me
I'mma keep it real with ya
Ya say you the man, I know I'm the man and I'm ready ta deal with cha
I'm prepared for the toe taggin'
Keep my Reeboks strapped tight with my Gibauds saggin'
Now, I done rocked a couple of ki's and I done flipped that two times
I know I'm in a drought and they gonna pursue mine
I got bills to pay I can't be playin' with you jokers
These youngsters somethin' else now, you bout it they'll provoke ya
You can't understand how a nigga my age
Can hit the streets psyched up bustin' with the twelve gauge
But I don't like ta dream about makin' no cheese
In the future wanna see my fuckin' pockets OD'd
Until then I'mma be thuggin' behind a project buildin'
Smokin' that fire be with the ghetto children
Lil niggas wanna get fronted from who got work
Is she ready for that, you wanna wash the bus
Let a nigga know where they at so ain't no stoppin' us
If you handle yo business right I'mma promote yo ass
You bitch out and try to kite I'mma come smoke yo ass
The shit that I'm givin' you they tryin' blood ta get
The vicks be runnin' through because they love the shit
So don't come with that no one bout it shit was cool
Niggas tried ta rob me nobody was comin' through
Snitches I can't have that
Bitches I can't have that
Riches you can have that
Just bring me my cash back
Look its all gravy with me go head and shine
That's how you play it with me ya big time
All I want is the Gs
With a trunk full of keys
A Benz on twenties
You got something you can lend me
Shit nigga I ain't doing nothin' for me for free
Can't put no trust in you niggas cuz yall be tryin' ta run G
Cause I don't like dreamin' bout makin' no cheese
Wanna see my muthafuckin' bank account O.D.ed
Until then I'mma be thuggin' behind a project buildin'
Smokin' that fire be with the ghetto children
Plottin' on a way that we can make a million (million lawd lawd)
Until then I'mma be thuggin' behind a project buildin'
Smokin' that fire be with the ghetto children
Plottin' on a way that we can make a million (million lawd lawd)
Now I'm on some shit again
Leave a nigga stranded like Gilligan
Hundreds I'm considerin'
Lex it for a million
Catch a nigga I'm killin' em
They stunt but I ain't feelin' em
My jacket off appearin' them
Some a say it's numerary
Parntnas in for sipperin'
Juvenile is different
Look at what I did to them
Niggas wearin' Reeboks instead of Nikes and Timbalands
Bitch niggas I be tippin' em
My mac nine it be flippin' em
Some of these niggas is tryin' ta run G
So I be gippin' em
They would do the same to me
Niggas ain't no family
Shit is all a game to me
But nobody gone handle me
Four hundred degreez
Tottin' guns runnin' with me
No wonder we need
Mo money one could receive
Nigga wanna deal with this Christ
I'mma put it open in his life
Never should I fuck with me right
Why you keep duckin' me shy
I'mma knock ya head off
Nigga tryin' ta get to ya fuck tryin' to play it off
You made the beef nigga so why is you scared
If you mind yo fuckin' business then yo life would be spared
I can't see it
Nigga try ta make me out a bitch I can't be it
I had a muthafuckin' problem with niggas like freed me
You probably can save yall self but you can't save yall neighbors
Um, and now I got cha spinnin' on round like a baseball playa
Put on this potato on the end of my nine
Foolishness I entertain to keep these niggas in line
Look cause I don't like to dream about makin' no cheese
Wanna see my muthafuckin' bank account OD'ed
Until then I'mma be thuggin' behind a project buildin'
Smokin' that fire be with the ghetto children
Plottin' on a way that we can make a million (million lawd lawd)
Until then I'mma be thuggin' behind a project buildin'
Plottin' on a way that we can make a million
Smokin' that fire be with the ghetto children
Ask them niggas bout me
Bet them bitches know me
Magnolia head buster out that wild T.C
I'mma young nigga
Look at what ya done nigga
You done made me mad
Now I'm goin' get my gun nigga
Betta watch cha tongue nigga
Cause I'm gettin' dumb nigga
Killed one nigga
Represent where I'm from nigga
Three thangs you don't never do: fuck with a man, his change, or his mama
You do that, you want drama
Fuck with a big tyma, fo sho you gone see
I'm out cha which one of you boys want me
I'mma keep it real with ya
Ya say you the man, I know I'm the man and I'm ready ta deal with cha
I'm prepared for the toe taggin'
Keep my Reeboks strapped tight with my Gibauds saggin'
Now, I done rocked a couple of ki's and I done flipped that two times
I know I'm in a drought and they gonna pursue mine
I got bills to pay I can't be playin' with you jokers
These youngsters somethin' else now, you bout it they'll provoke ya
You can't understand how a nigga my age
Can hit the streets psyched up bustin' with the twelve gauge
But I don't like ta dream about makin' no cheese
In the future wanna see my fuckin' pockets OD'd
Until then I'mma be thuggin' behind a project buildin'
Smokin' that fire be with the ghetto children
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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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.
No Surprises
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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.
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.
I cannot believe no one has posted on this classic. I guess, y'all just taking your sweet time, like I did. This is a classic!