"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.
The Underdogs keep running after shining motorbikes,
trying to keep up while they look back and laugh,
oh we're so tired of dragging our hearts.
It's the chrome and steel,
and all the power that we want to feel,
so when we catch them we will rip them apart,
'cause it's no more than they did to us.
* We've been waiting so long,
we know just what we want,
we will cheat and we'll rob,
'cause we are The Underdogs,
we are The Underdogs.
The Underdogs, and we've had too much shit kicked out of us,
to stop us howling at the moon through the night,
and if it keeps them up, well that's alright.
To be bitter and alone is such a dirty little job.
We're jaded to our brittle bones, 'cause we are The Underdogs,
yes we are The Underdogs.
* (repeat)
trying to keep up while they look back and laugh,
oh we're so tired of dragging our hearts.
It's the chrome and steel,
and all the power that we want to feel,
so when we catch them we will rip them apart,
'cause it's no more than they did to us.
* We've been waiting so long,
we know just what we want,
we will cheat and we'll rob,
'cause we are The Underdogs,
we are The Underdogs.
The Underdogs, and we've had too much shit kicked out of us,
to stop us howling at the moon through the night,
and if it keeps them up, well that's alright.
To be bitter and alone is such a dirty little job.
We're jaded to our brittle bones, 'cause we are The Underdogs,
yes we are The Underdogs.
* (repeat)
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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/
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 just have a feeling that this song is about a scooter gang (Quadrophenia-style). There's the kids with pimped out bikes, they aren't the underdogs. I like to imagine that the Underdogs are a couple kids who don't have bikes but if they do they're like kind of junked scooters. The Underdogs want it more than the kids who have the good bikes. Rialto's lyrics are always my favorites and the way the music to this song makes being an Underdog sound utterly glorious it the best.