"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.
Don't take your red ribbons off
You're about to make a fool of yourself
In the aluminum sunset
Drinking from a drain
I'm a hundred miles behind myself
Milk and honey
Pouring down like money
Make a poor boy want to run
Milk and honey
Do you want to love me
Under the aluminum sun
Did you hear those war torn stories
Where the lifeguards slept in the streets
In the jungle lands
With the cold cola cans
You'll get the keys to the city for free
Milk and honey
Pouring down like money
Bring a poor boy to his knees
Milk and honey
No it isn't funny
Living in a garden of sleaze
Bangkok athletes in the biosphere
Arkansas wet dreams
We all disappear
Kremlin mistress
Rings the Buddha chimes
She slips me ruffles
Receding hairlines
She's all right, touching my body
She's all right, on my computer
She's all right, selling me watches
She's all right, ring on my finger
You're about to make a fool of yourself
In the aluminum sunset
Drinking from a drain
I'm a hundred miles behind myself
Milk and honey
Pouring down like money
Make a poor boy want to run
Milk and honey
Do you want to love me
Under the aluminum sun
Did you hear those war torn stories
Where the lifeguards slept in the streets
In the jungle lands
With the cold cola cans
You'll get the keys to the city for free
Milk and honey
Pouring down like money
Bring a poor boy to his knees
Milk and honey
No it isn't funny
Living in a garden of sleaze
Bangkok athletes in the biosphere
Arkansas wet dreams
We all disappear
Kremlin mistress
Rings the Buddha chimes
She slips me ruffles
Receding hairlines
She's all right, touching my body
She's all right, on my computer
She's all right, selling me watches
She's all right, ring on my finger
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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."
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.
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'm wondering, from the last verse, whether he's refering to many different women as his subject, or to women in general? To fantasies? "She's all right...touching my body": a prostitute? "She's all right...on my computer": pornography? "She's all right...selling me watches": a model? "She's all right...ring on my finger": a wife? a partner?
I think for this one, Beck put a bunch of words on a corkboard and threw darts. Actually for most songs I think he did that. Someone should make a Random Beck Lyric Generator.
Love the amazing guitar outro... pretty sure based on the liner notes that's the one and only Johnny Marr.
"She slips me ruffies"
this chick is tempting. "bring a poor boy to his knees"
I quite agree with LMK. ^^ rofl at smartbunny; but I think every Beck song has a meaning...even if it's only known by him. o_o
In any event, Beck = Love.
I always thought that it said: "Milk and honey, runnin' down my body!" If you listen to it it does sound like that! But now I know!
I thought so too. <br /> I'm gonna keep pretending that's what he's saying. Cuz Beck is the sex.
Beck is obviously a very unique lyricist, and it's impossible to know what his thoughts were while writing this song, but I think it might be a statement on something like 'desire' or the 'failure of the American Dream.' The phrase "Milk and Honey" originates from a passage in The Old Testament referring to the "Promised Land" as one flowing with "milk and honey," and has since come to symbolize abundance of resources and wealth. A "land of milk and honey" is a place where things are in great abundance; it is a sort of utopian idea. That said, I think the song may attempt to draw comparisons and distinctions between the reality of such a place, and the projected fantasy. The reality seems to be more grim, with it's "aluminum sun" and "war torn stories." The passage that starts "Did you hear those war torn stories" seems to describe the Vietnam War.