"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.
Hey! Is this thing on?
I saw him dancing there
By the record machine
I knew he must have
Been about seventeen
The beat was going strong
Playing my favorite song
I could tell it wouldn't be long
Till he was with me, yeah, with me
And I could tell it wouldn't be long
Till he was with me, yeah, with me
Singing I love rock and roll
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come and take the time
And dance with me, owh
He smiled, so I got up
And asked for his name
"But that don't matter" he said
"Because it's all the same"
I said: "Can I take you home
Where we can be alone?"
And next we were moving on
And he was with me, yeah, with me
And we were moving on
And singing that same old song
Yeah, with me
Singing I love rock and roll
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come and take the time
And dance with me, owh
I love rock and roll yeah
'Cause it soothes my soul yeah
I love rock and roll
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I said, "Can I take you home
Where we can be alone?"
And next we were moving on
And he was with me, yeah, with me
And we were moving on
And singing that same old song
Yeah, with me
Singing: I love rock and roll
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come and take the time
And dance with me, owh
I love rock and roll
(I love rock and roll)
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come on take the time
And dance with me (dance with me)
I love rock and roll (rock and roll)
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
(I said) I love rock and roll
(So dance with me)
So come on, take the time and
Dance with me (dance with me, oh)
I love rock and roll (rock and roll)
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come and take the time and
(Dance with me) Dance with me
I love rock and roll
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come and take the time and
Dance with me
I saw him dancing there
By the record machine
I knew he must have
Been about seventeen
The beat was going strong
Playing my favorite song
I could tell it wouldn't be long
Till he was with me, yeah, with me
And I could tell it wouldn't be long
Till he was with me, yeah, with me
Singing I love rock and roll
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come and take the time
And dance with me, owh
He smiled, so I got up
And asked for his name
"But that don't matter" he said
"Because it's all the same"
I said: "Can I take you home
Where we can be alone?"
And next we were moving on
And he was with me, yeah, with me
And we were moving on
And singing that same old song
Yeah, with me
Singing I love rock and roll
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come and take the time
And dance with me, owh
I love rock and roll yeah
'Cause it soothes my soul yeah
I love rock and roll
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I said, "Can I take you home
Where we can be alone?"
And next we were moving on
And he was with me, yeah, with me
And we were moving on
And singing that same old song
Yeah, with me
Singing: I love rock and roll
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come and take the time
And dance with me, owh
I love rock and roll
(I love rock and roll)
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come on take the time
And dance with me (dance with me)
I love rock and roll (rock and roll)
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
(I said) I love rock and roll
(So dance with me)
So come on, take the time and
Dance with me (dance with me, oh)
I love rock and roll (rock and roll)
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come and take the time and
(Dance with me) Dance with me
I love rock and roll
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby
I love rock and roll
So come and take the time and
Dance with me
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Wu-Tang Clan
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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.
When We Were Young
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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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.
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.
it's not Joan Jett's song either, she covered it.
the original was recording in 1975 by The Arrows and written by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker of that band.