"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.
Nanana
I don't care to let it show,
Therefore you will never know.
What I really feel inside,
And how I lay awake at night.
[Chorus]
Will I ever fall in love,
And if I do will it be with you?
Will I ever fall in love,
And will you be the one for me?
Will I ever fall in love,
And if I do will it be with you?
Will I ever fall in love,
And will you be the one for me?
Nananawheho nanana nananawheho
Nananawheho nanana nananawheho
I guess it's all in my head,
And I will be alone instead.
Dreaming of a night with you,
And all the things that we would do.
Will I ever fall in love,
And if I do will it be with you?
Will I ever fall in love,
And will you be the one for me?
And will you be the one for me?
And will you be the one for me?
Nananawheho nanana nananawheho
Nananawheho nanana nananawheho
I don't care to let it show,
Therefore you will never know.
What I really feel inside,
And how I lay awake at night.
[Chorus]
Will I ever fall in love,
And if I do will it be with you?
Will I ever fall in love,
And will you be the one for me?
Will I ever fall in love,
And if I do will it be with you?
Will I ever fall in love,
And will you be the one for me?
Nananawheho nanana nananawheho
Nananawheho nanana nananawheho
I guess it's all in my head,
And I will be alone instead.
Dreaming of a night with you,
And all the things that we would do.
Will I ever fall in love,
And if I do will it be with you?
Will I ever fall in love,
And will you be the one for me?
And will you be the one for me?
And will you be the one for me?
Nananawheho nanana nananawheho
Nananawheho nanana nananawheho
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Dreamwalker
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
I first watched the video of this song (before hearing it on radio or on CD) -- and immediately the music caught on. The lyrics would make mark with anyone who has had a crush on somebody, or actually loved someone - but waited long to tell her/him.
Great song -- I wish it could be longer.
This brings me right back to the good old days of 1999. Ahh to be 20 years old and spending you summer on Ibiza. GOOD TIMES!
Obviously it's not the lyrics most effort goes into when it comes to dance tunes, but I still feel that this one has something worthwhile to say (well, usually I can find a personal meaning in lyrics from pretty much any genre, so I guess it's not so surprising). The topic of this song has been recurring theme in my life unfortunately, on and off since childhood; the latest time was less than a year ago with a girl I thought wasn't interested in me, but now it turns out she might _havehad a crush on me too, after all. :/
By the way, I remember listening to this one back in 1999-2000 too; I used to travel a lot by train and almost always listened to the radio where they played it a lot.