"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.
[Kim]
Dreaming
dreaming of a girl like me
hey what are you waiting for?
feeding
feeding me?
i feel like i'm disappearing
getting smaller every day
but i look in the mirror
and i'm bigger in every way
she said
you aren't never going anywhere
you aren't never going anywhere
i ain't never goin' anywhere
i ain't never goin' anywhere
i'm in heaven now
i can see you Richard
goodbye Hollywood, goodbye Danny
hello Janis, hello Dennis, Elvis
and all my brand new friends
i'm so glad you're all here with me
until the very end
dreaming
dreaming of how it's supposed to be
but now this tunic's spinning
around my arms and knees
i feel like i'm disappearing
getting smaller every day
but when i open my mouth to sing
i'm bigger in every way
she said
you are never going anywhere
you are never going anywhere
i aint' never goin' anywhere
i aint' never goin' anywhere
hey mum look
i'm up here
i finally made it
i play in a drumsband too
don't be sad
the band doesn't sound half bad
and i remember mum
what you said
you said honey
you look so underfed
[lots of background talking (incomprehensible)]
another green salad
another ice tea
there's a tunic in the closet
waiting just for me
i feel like i'm disappearing
getting smaller every day
but i look in your eyes
and i'm bigger in every way
she said
you aren't never going anywhere
you aren't never going anywhere
i ain't never going anywhere
i ain't never going anywhere
goodbye Richard
got to go now
i'm finally on my own
but then i start again
keep your lovelights glowing
little girl's got the blues
i can still hear mama say
honey don't let it go to your head
Dreaming
dreaming of a girl like me
hey what are you waiting for?
feeding
feeding me?
i feel like i'm disappearing
getting smaller every day
but i look in the mirror
and i'm bigger in every way
she said
you aren't never going anywhere
you aren't never going anywhere
i ain't never goin' anywhere
i ain't never goin' anywhere
i'm in heaven now
i can see you Richard
goodbye Hollywood, goodbye Danny
hello Janis, hello Dennis, Elvis
and all my brand new friends
i'm so glad you're all here with me
until the very end
dreaming
dreaming of how it's supposed to be
but now this tunic's spinning
around my arms and knees
i feel like i'm disappearing
getting smaller every day
but when i open my mouth to sing
i'm bigger in every way
she said
you are never going anywhere
you are never going anywhere
i aint' never goin' anywhere
i aint' never goin' anywhere
hey mum look
i'm up here
i finally made it
i play in a drumsband too
don't be sad
the band doesn't sound half bad
and i remember mum
what you said
you said honey
you look so underfed
[lots of background talking (incomprehensible)]
another green salad
another ice tea
there's a tunic in the closet
waiting just for me
i feel like i'm disappearing
getting smaller every day
but i look in your eyes
and i'm bigger in every way
she said
you aren't never going anywhere
you aren't never going anywhere
i ain't never going anywhere
i ain't never going anywhere
goodbye Richard
got to go now
i'm finally on my own
but then i start again
keep your lovelights glowing
little girl's got the blues
i can still hear mama say
honey don't let it go to your head
Lyrics submitted by shut
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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its about karen carpenter right?