"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.
Where am I today? I wish that I knew
'Cause looking around there's no sign of you
I don't remember one jump or one leap
Just quiet steps away from you lead
I'm holding my heart out but clutching it, too
Feeling this sort of a love that we once knew
Calling this a home when it's not even close
I'm playing the role with nerves left exposed
Standing on a darkened stage
Stumbling through the lines
Others have excuses
I have my reasons why
We get distracted by the dreams of our own
But nobody's happy while feeling alone
And knowing how hard it hurts when we fall
We lean another ladder against the wrong wall
And climb high to the highest rung
To shake fists at the sky
Others have excuses
I have my reasons why
With so much deception
It's hard not to wander away (hard not to wander away)
It's hard not wander away
'Cause looking around there's no sign of you
I don't remember one jump or one leap
Just quiet steps away from you lead
I'm holding my heart out but clutching it, too
Feeling this sort of a love that we once knew
Calling this a home when it's not even close
I'm playing the role with nerves left exposed
Standing on a darkened stage
Stumbling through the lines
Others have excuses
I have my reasons why
We get distracted by the dreams of our own
But nobody's happy while feeling alone
And knowing how hard it hurts when we fall
We lean another ladder against the wrong wall
And climb high to the highest rung
To shake fists at the sky
Others have excuses
I have my reasons why
With so much deception
It's hard not to wander away (hard not to wander away)
It's hard not wander away
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
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/
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.
Maybe I'm missing something, considering some of the comments here, but this verse kind of explains the song:
I'm holding my heart out but clutching it too Feeling this short of a love that we once knew I'm calling this a home when it's not even close Playing the role with nerves left exposed
So...I'm trying to love you, but I'm afraid and holding on to my heart. The love we once knew, this is no longer a home, I'm playing a roles...
I think it's obviously about a broken relationship, perhaps a broken marriage. The couple may shake their fist at God, but they've wandered slowly away from each other.