"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.
And the morning light was breaking
Slowly moving across the bed
He gets up without her waking
To the voices in his head
Through the shadows in the hallway
To the room they painted blue
And on the inside he is frightened
At a loss for what to do
Until he opens up his eyes
And the angels all look down
Even closer than this life
Closer than your faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
And he knows his life is changing
It's never easy letting go
For the first time you are mortal
As the child before you grows
And he wonders at the sight
Of the joy that he has found
Even closer than this life
Closer than your faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
And what would you intend to find?
Solitude? Your peace of mind?
Holding out for something less
Than touching the hand of God?
Even closer than this life
Closer than this faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
Closer than this life
Closer finally
Living for the only thing
You ever made complete
Oh, for the one thing
That you both did perfectly
Slowly moving across the bed
He gets up without her waking
To the voices in his head
Through the shadows in the hallway
To the room they painted blue
And on the inside he is frightened
At a loss for what to do
Until he opens up his eyes
And the angels all look down
Even closer than this life
Closer than your faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
And he knows his life is changing
It's never easy letting go
For the first time you are mortal
As the child before you grows
And he wonders at the sight
Of the joy that he has found
Even closer than this life
Closer than your faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
And what would you intend to find?
Solitude? Your peace of mind?
Holding out for something less
Than touching the hand of God?
Even closer than this life
Closer than this faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
Closer than this life
Closer finally
Living for the only thing
You ever made complete
Oh, for the one thing
That you both did perfectly
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Jane's Addiction
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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,
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I've loved this song for a long time, but now that I am expecting my first child in a month and I can't even listen to it without bawling. It's just so sweet and really gets to the point of how our priorities change as we grow. So good!