"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.
Crazy rides rockets
Who has a magic wand
Empty out your pockets
Words without a song
I myself have found a real rival in myself
I am hoping for a re-arrival of my health
Sleeping eye sockets
Baby suck your thumb
I'll keep you in my locket
A string I never strum
It's become so obvious
You are so oblivious to yourself
You're tied in a knot
But I'm not gonna get caught
Calling a pot kettle black
Every song's a comeback
Every moment's a little bit later
Lazy locomotives
Wherever you may roll
I think you have no motive
I know you have no home
It's become so obvious
You are so oblivious to yourself
You're tied in a knot
But I'm not gonna get caught
Calling a pot kettle black
Every song's a comeback
Every moment's a little bit later (Repeat: x4)
Who has a magic wand
Empty out your pockets
Words without a song
I myself have found a real rival in myself
I am hoping for a re-arrival of my health
Sleeping eye sockets
Baby suck your thumb
I'll keep you in my locket
A string I never strum
It's become so obvious
You are so oblivious to yourself
You're tied in a knot
But I'm not gonna get caught
Calling a pot kettle black
Every song's a comeback
Every moment's a little bit later
Lazy locomotives
Wherever you may roll
I think you have no motive
I know you have no home
It's become so obvious
You are so oblivious to yourself
You're tied in a knot
But I'm not gonna get caught
Calling a pot kettle black
Every song's a comeback
Every moment's a little bit later (Repeat: x4)
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
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 love this song. I guess everyone gets what it's saying. I agree with the interpretation by Luminol58 that he is actually calling the pot "kettle-black." However, I think the speaker feels entitled to what he says because he has "emptied out his pockets" (owned up to what he has to own up to). "Empty out your pockets" is the speaker (Kettle) urging "Pot" to own up to their mistakes/wrongdoings as well. In a sense, he is calling the pot "kettle-black," but the fact that he can admit to his own actions makes it okay for him to say those things. I just wanted to touch on that specific aspect because no one else has said anything about it and I don't feel like stating the more obvious or repeating what has already been said. Isn't Wilco the greatest!?
Also, I agree with Lou-Lou--the underlying melody is extremely similar and I urge others to go have a listen. I have noticed a variation of the melody from "In Between Days" in other Cure songs. It may just be the actual technical breakdown of the melody that is so similar. I don't think there is any real harm or unjustice in the similarity.