"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.
Christabel strips
And slips like a dream
Breaking ice with arms that gleam with pain
Disdain...
She throws her head
And glides against the stream
Throwing me her bravest smile
Defiant
Glittering
Shivering guile
"Catching a cold is quick this time
But fish?
Fish may take a while. "
Christabel dips and slips from me
And hand pushed deep inside is suddenly free
Triumphant
Reluctantly
Struggling six legs held up for me to see
"Don't be so scared
It's nothing new
It's the same old game
Only fun with two "
But fast and over and over
"I can't play this game with you"
Everything she tries to tell me
Leaves me open mouthed and still
Foolishly arrange tomorrow
The way I always will
Christabel trips
And grips my hand
But never to be saved
For a second I understand
And I fall with her
"I'll never leave you
Love you
See you change into the man I want
But it's not for long this thing
It's not for long "
And slips like a dream
Breaking ice with arms that gleam with pain
Disdain...
She throws her head
And glides against the stream
Throwing me her bravest smile
Defiant
Glittering
Shivering guile
"Catching a cold is quick this time
But fish?
Fish may take a while. "
Christabel dips and slips from me
And hand pushed deep inside is suddenly free
Triumphant
Reluctantly
Struggling six legs held up for me to see
"Don't be so scared
It's nothing new
It's the same old game
Only fun with two "
But fast and over and over
"I can't play this game with you"
Everything she tries to tell me
Leaves me open mouthed and still
Foolishly arrange tomorrow
The way I always will
Christabel trips
And grips my hand
But never to be saved
For a second I understand
And I fall with her
"I'll never leave you
Love you
See you change into the man I want
But it's not for long this thing
It's not for long "
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
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
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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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
"Struggling six legs held up for me to see"
This sounds simultaneously (1) sexy and (2) like he's shagging a spider.