"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.
Strong winds are blowing into the place I want to be quiet.
da feng ta chui jin liao wo xiang yao an jing de di fang
White waves secretly laps up into my past I hid deep in my heart.
bai lang tou tou de fan yue liao wo xin zhong shen chang de guo wang
Today seem especially long, because you're at a faraway place.
jin tian te bie chang, yin wei ni zai yuan fang
Sorrow is no longer the same, bluer than the sky.
you yu ye bian de bu yi yang, bi tian geng lan
Heavy rain has removed the footprints I want to leave behind.
da yu ta dai zou liao wo xiang yao liu xia de jiao yin
White clouds quietly cover tomorrow's plans in my eyes.
bai yun qiao qiao de zhe zhu liao wo yan zhong ming tian de chong jing
Lonely for too long because of a promise.
gu dan na me jiu, yin wei you ge cheng nuo
Missing you is no longer the same, wider than the sea.
qian gua ye bian de bu yi yang, bi hai geng kuang
Thinking if my tomorrow's dream will still have your sky.
qian gua de shi wo ming tian de meng shi fou yi rang you ni de tian kong
Thinking if many years later, will I still be in your heart.
qian gua de shi ni xu duo nian yi hou, xin li shi fou hai you wo
Maybe whatever the wind blows away, the rain brings away, no one can force it to stay.
ye xu da feng ta chui san de, da yu ta dai zou de, shui ye bu neng zai qiang liu
But with waves and white clouds which exist forever, who won't have dreams.
ke shi shui yue de lang hua yong yuan de bai yun, shui you neng mei you meng
da feng ta chui jin liao wo xiang yao an jing de di fang
White waves secretly laps up into my past I hid deep in my heart.
bai lang tou tou de fan yue liao wo xin zhong shen chang de guo wang
Today seem especially long, because you're at a faraway place.
jin tian te bie chang, yin wei ni zai yuan fang
Sorrow is no longer the same, bluer than the sky.
you yu ye bian de bu yi yang, bi tian geng lan
Heavy rain has removed the footprints I want to leave behind.
da yu ta dai zou liao wo xiang yao liu xia de jiao yin
White clouds quietly cover tomorrow's plans in my eyes.
bai yun qiao qiao de zhe zhu liao wo yan zhong ming tian de chong jing
Lonely for too long because of a promise.
gu dan na me jiu, yin wei you ge cheng nuo
Missing you is no longer the same, wider than the sea.
qian gua ye bian de bu yi yang, bi hai geng kuang
Thinking if my tomorrow's dream will still have your sky.
qian gua de shi wo ming tian de meng shi fou yi rang you ni de tian kong
Thinking if many years later, will I still be in your heart.
qian gua de shi ni xu duo nian yi hou, xin li shi fou hai you wo
Maybe whatever the wind blows away, the rain brings away, no one can force it to stay.
ye xu da feng ta chui san de, da yu ta dai zou de, shui ye bu neng zai qiang liu
But with waves and white clouds which exist forever, who won't have dreams.
ke shi shui yue de lang hua yong yuan de bai yun, shui you neng mei you meng
Lyrics submitted by sweet
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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/
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.