"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.
One, two, three, four
Well I hope that I don't fall in love with you
'Cause falling in love just makes me blue
Well the music plays and you display
Your heart for me to see
I had a beer and now I hear you
Calling out for me
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you
Well the room is crowded, people everywhere
And I wonder, should I offer you a chair?
Well if you sit down with this old clown
Take that frown and break it
Before the evening's gone away
I think that we could make it
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you
Well the night does funny things inside a man
These old tom-cat feelings you don't understand
Well I turn around to look at you
You light a cigarette
I wish I had the guts to bum one
But we've never met
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you
I can see that you are lonesome just like me
And it being late, you'd like some company
Well I turn around to look at you
And you look back at me
The guy you're with he's up and split
The chair next to you's free
And I hope that you don't fall in love with me
Now it's closing time, the music's fading out
Last call for drinks, I'll have another stout
Well I turn around to look at you
You're nowhere to be found
I search the place for your lost face
Guess I'll have another round
And I think that I just fell in love with you
Well I hope that I don't fall in love with you
'Cause falling in love just makes me blue
Well the music plays and you display
Your heart for me to see
I had a beer and now I hear you
Calling out for me
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you
Well the room is crowded, people everywhere
And I wonder, should I offer you a chair?
Well if you sit down with this old clown
Take that frown and break it
Before the evening's gone away
I think that we could make it
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you
Well the night does funny things inside a man
These old tom-cat feelings you don't understand
Well I turn around to look at you
You light a cigarette
I wish I had the guts to bum one
But we've never met
And I hope that I don't fall in love with you
I can see that you are lonesome just like me
And it being late, you'd like some company
Well I turn around to look at you
And you look back at me
The guy you're with he's up and split
The chair next to you's free
And I hope that you don't fall in love with me
Now it's closing time, the music's fading out
Last call for drinks, I'll have another stout
Well I turn around to look at you
You're nowhere to be found
I search the place for your lost face
Guess I'll have another round
And I think that I just fell in love with you
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira, edited by Mellow_Harsher
I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love with You Lyrics as written by Thomas Alan Waits
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
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Fast Car
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Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
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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.
Gentle Hour
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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,
Amazing
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Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
but the lyrics are not entirely correct