"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.
Sisters of the way-side bide their time in quiet peace
Await their place within the ring of calm
Still stand to turn in seconds of release
Await the call they know may never come
In times of lightness, no intruder dared upon
To jeopardize the course, upset the run
And all was joy and hands were raised toward the sun
As love in the halls of plenty overrun
Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
Still in their bliss unchallenged mighty feast
Unending dances shadowed on the day
Within their walls, their daunting formless keep
Preserved their joy and kept their doubts at bay
Faceless legions stood in readiness to weep
Just turn a coin, bring order to the fray
And everything is soon no sooner thought than deed
But no one seemed to question in anyway
Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
How keen the storied hunter's eye prevails upon the land
To seek the unsuspecting and the weak
And powerless the fabled sat, too smug to lift a hand
Toward the foe that threatened from the deep
Who cares to dry the cheeks of those who saddened stand
Adrift upon a sea of futile speech?
And to fall to fate and make the 'status plan'
But no one there had heaven within their reach
Singing uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh
Where was your word, where did you go?
Where was your helping, where was your bow? Bow
Bow
Dull is the armour, cold is the day
Hard was the journey, dark was the way, way
I heard the word, I couldn't stay, oh
I couldn't stand it another day, another day
Another day, another day
Touched by the timely coming
Roused from the keeper's sleep
Release the grip, throw down the key
Held now within the knowing
Rest now within the peace
Take of the fruit, but guard the seed
They had to stay
Held now within the knowing
Rest now within the peace
Take off the fruit, but guard the seed
Take off the fruit, but guard the seed
Await their place within the ring of calm
Still stand to turn in seconds of release
Await the call they know may never come
In times of lightness, no intruder dared upon
To jeopardize the course, upset the run
And all was joy and hands were raised toward the sun
As love in the halls of plenty overrun
Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
Still in their bliss unchallenged mighty feast
Unending dances shadowed on the day
Within their walls, their daunting formless keep
Preserved their joy and kept their doubts at bay
Faceless legions stood in readiness to weep
Just turn a coin, bring order to the fray
And everything is soon no sooner thought than deed
But no one seemed to question in anyway
Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
How keen the storied hunter's eye prevails upon the land
To seek the unsuspecting and the weak
And powerless the fabled sat, too smug to lift a hand
Toward the foe that threatened from the deep
Who cares to dry the cheeks of those who saddened stand
Adrift upon a sea of futile speech?
And to fall to fate and make the 'status plan'
But no one there had heaven within their reach
Singing uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh
Where was your word, where did you go?
Where was your helping, where was your bow? Bow
Bow
Dull is the armour, cold is the day
Hard was the journey, dark was the way, way
I heard the word, I couldn't stay, oh
I couldn't stand it another day, another day
Another day, another day
Touched by the timely coming
Roused from the keeper's sleep
Release the grip, throw down the key
Held now within the knowing
Rest now within the peace
Take of the fruit, but guard the seed
They had to stay
Held now within the knowing
Rest now within the peace
Take off the fruit, but guard the seed
Take off the fruit, but guard the seed
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
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.
Led Zeppelin always seemed to have a political statement to make here and there......They were a true part of the HIppie rebellion in the Late 60's and 70's......This seems apparent in such songs like Misty Mountain Hop.......Anyhow....I kinda get a feeling of how the masses were really disappointed wit hthe way things were being handled by the government and such......
"How keen the storied hunter's eye prevails upon the land To seek the unsuspecting and the weak; And powerless the fabled sat, too smug to lift a hand Toward the foe that threatened from the deep. Who cares to dry the cheeks of those who saddened stand Adrift upon a sea of futile speech?
Kinda sounds like the futile governmental processes that seem to prevail since Vietnam.....Lots of futile promises and unkept promises......Who knows?....I don't think it's the whole meaning behind the song because Vietnam was pretty much over in 77'...but we never officially left either.....go figure......I can see some of the references to groupies and the tour too....Don't know if there is supposed to be any correlation or not.......Maybe it's just kind of a look at how glamourous and wonderful life seemed for them not too long before...Now look at the state of things......
I also think that the last line is a warning for future generations........It kinda falls in line with the above idea of what has the world come too.....Maybe feeling that it was too late to make any changes in their generation...It's up to ours to make those changes.........Take of the fruit, but guard the seed.....We all need to stop taking advantage of our now seemingly abundant resources.....Or soon we will consume ourselves out of house and home......Guard that seed.......Replant what you destroy.....Leave something for the others who follow so they can taste the same sweetness you enjoy today......Just some thoughts ;)