"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.
I was talking, not two days ago
To a certain bartender I'm lucky to know
And I asked Henry, my bartending friend
If I should bother dating unfamous men
And Henry said,
"You're lucky to even know me,
You're lucky to be alive.
You're lucky to be drinking here for free,
'cause I'm a sucker for your lucky, pretty eyes."
And then he said,
"Do you want to be a polyester bride?
Or do you want to hang your head and die?
Do you want to find alligator cowboy boots they just put on sale?
Do you want to flap your wings and fly away from here?"
And I was sitting, not two days ago
Feeling lonely, 'cause I'm just feeling low
And I asked Henry, my bartending friend
Why it is that there are those kind of men
And Henry said,
"You're lucky to even know me,
You're lucky to be alive.
You're lucky to be drinking here for free,
'cause I'm a sucker for your lucky, pretty eyes."
And then he said,
"Do you want to be a polyester bride?
Or do you want to hang your head and die?
Do you want to find alligator cowboy boots they just put on sale?
Do you want to flap your wings and fly away from here?"
"Princess, do you really want to flap your wings and fly?
Because you've got time."
He keeps telling me, "You've got time."
But I don't believe him
"You've got time."
I keep on pushing harder
I keep on pushing farther away
But he keeps telling me, "Baby",
He says, "Baby, yeah
Do you want to be a polyester bride?
Or do you want to hang your head and die?
Do you want to find alligator cowboy boots they just put on sale?
Do you want to flap your wings and fly away from here?"
"Do you want to be a polyester bride?"
Away from here
"Do you want to be a polyester bride?"
Away from here
"Do you want to be a polyester bride?"
"Princess, do you really want to flap your wings and fly away from here?"
To a certain bartender I'm lucky to know
And I asked Henry, my bartending friend
If I should bother dating unfamous men
And Henry said,
"You're lucky to even know me,
You're lucky to be alive.
You're lucky to be drinking here for free,
'cause I'm a sucker for your lucky, pretty eyes."
And then he said,
"Do you want to be a polyester bride?
Or do you want to hang your head and die?
Do you want to find alligator cowboy boots they just put on sale?
Do you want to flap your wings and fly away from here?"
And I was sitting, not two days ago
Feeling lonely, 'cause I'm just feeling low
And I asked Henry, my bartending friend
Why it is that there are those kind of men
And Henry said,
"You're lucky to even know me,
You're lucky to be alive.
You're lucky to be drinking here for free,
'cause I'm a sucker for your lucky, pretty eyes."
And then he said,
"Do you want to be a polyester bride?
Or do you want to hang your head and die?
Do you want to find alligator cowboy boots they just put on sale?
Do you want to flap your wings and fly away from here?"
"Princess, do you really want to flap your wings and fly?
Because you've got time."
He keeps telling me, "You've got time."
But I don't believe him
"You've got time."
I keep on pushing harder
I keep on pushing farther away
But he keeps telling me, "Baby",
He says, "Baby, yeah
Do you want to be a polyester bride?
Or do you want to hang your head and die?
Do you want to find alligator cowboy boots they just put on sale?
Do you want to flap your wings and fly away from here?"
"Do you want to be a polyester bride?"
Away from here
"Do you want to be a polyester bride?"
Away from here
"Do you want to be a polyester bride?"
"Princess, do you really want to flap your wings and fly away from here?"
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
I think that this song is about trying to find the right person, or at least someone interesting. It's about not settling for just any guy, and if you do, you may become just another "polyester bride" and be stuck in an unhappy marriage or relationship.
I was actually under the impression he was implying she's a gold digger and that if she wants that kind of guy she needs to find a different place to hang out in.
Polyester Bride is a comment for someone who marries and divorces frequently, and alligator cowboy boots are crazy expensive, working folk don't generally wear, it's more oil mogul kind of thing, like marrying the rich old man so you can claim the inheritance after they die (selling the boots).
And i think the you've got time bit is implying there's still time for her to find her jack pot if that's whats important to her. I think its also why the song is on the flat side, its like a kind of implied sarcasm. like the bartender is asking "do you really want to be that kind of girl?" (he clearly thinks she can cause he's already letting her drink for free).
My favorite part of this song is the seemingly tortured bartender Henry. He just lets her know that hey I'm here, I'm a good guy, and you should be grateful for it.
this song is the shit ...whenever i hear it i blast it and sing along (off-key of course) liz phair is so much cooler than so many lame chicks in hollywood, or at least i feel like she deserves more respect.
Oh I love this song, I have so much respect for Liz Phair. And rapunzelEED, I totally agree because I have never heard a song written from this perspective either. It's amazing, just like Liz Phair.
sounds a little like she's getting frustrated with men and he's telling her she can either settle for anything b/c she's in such a hurry or she can hunt around for what she's really looking for.
This song is just plain amazing. To me, this song is about the pressure the speaker is feeling about finding a man. She's constantly sad about her life, and Henry just say, "You're lucky for this and this...". Finally, he says, "You've got time." She keeps pushing to find someone and he keeps insisting that she just relax. You don't want to be another polyester bride.
Also, I think the music video is a little summation of Liz Phair's life up to this point. We see scenes from Reefer Madness, alluding to her youthful fascination with drugs. There are also a lot of images of children or babies or pregnancy. Not surprising, seeing as she just had a baby around this time.
I always thought the bartender was talking to two different people in this song. One of whom was he talking with originally, and the other in response to her musings about life.
There are two men in this song, one she complains about over a counter, and the other, that is there with her saying comforting things like "it's not too late, you've got the time to find the right guy. There's no point in pushing a relationship when someone is already taken, or just not the right one, and ending up in the role of the polyester bride". I wish more songs were as honest as this one nowadays.
Henry knows that she would be unhappy if she married for money and that she’s got a decent life now… if she could more fully appreciate how good she’s got it. Grass is not greener on the other side of the fence.