"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.
Running through this maze - cry at what i see
A civilisation with values alien to me
All the role models, lost souls, false gods that i am shown
Ordeals that i pass through for purposes unknown?
In the cul-de-sac turn back on my trade from the cul-de-sac
Help try getting me out
In a transient phase
At the end of an age
Running through this maze
Some born again idiot tracks me down and i couldn't escape
Trying to notch up points for his entrance fee to new jerusalem
"Do you love the lord your god with all your dogma?"
He said "you'll get it all back in the next life"
Get it all back, get it all back
Get it all back
Mystery schools for the fools, great seats of learning
Business, lawsuits, market forces - no philosophy courses
A bachelors degree in loopholes and a masters in self-interest
Studies for automatons and syllabus two
A city and guilds in extortion and a ph.d. in fuck you
A civilisation with values alien to me
All the role models, lost souls, false gods that i am shown
Ordeals that i pass through for purposes unknown?
In the cul-de-sac turn back on my trade from the cul-de-sac
Help try getting me out
In a transient phase
At the end of an age
Running through this maze
Some born again idiot tracks me down and i couldn't escape
Trying to notch up points for his entrance fee to new jerusalem
"Do you love the lord your god with all your dogma?"
He said "you'll get it all back in the next life"
Get it all back, get it all back
Get it all back
Mystery schools for the fools, great seats of learning
Business, lawsuits, market forces - no philosophy courses
A bachelors degree in loopholes and a masters in self-interest
Studies for automatons and syllabus two
A city and guilds in extortion and a ph.d. in fuck you
Lyrics submitted by nonemoreblack
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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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Probably my favourite KJ track, 'Labyrinth' opens with what sounds like a musical hammer blow and gets heavier from there on in. Lyrically, it's a perfect summation of alienation. It's one for those of us who have walked down the street, turned on the TV news or opened a newspaper, and thought; 'I'm on the wrong planet. This isn't my civilisation. These aren't my values.'
The chorus sees Jaz screaming for a way out of the nightmare of everyday existence.
Verse two is a straightforward castigation of organised religion, an encounter with a 'born again idiot' spouting dogma. The line 'get it all back' is repeated sneeringly towards the end of the track, shortly before the sound of someone throwing a chest of drawers off a cliff.
Verse three attacks higher education, a theme Jaz has visited at recent live gigs. He rails against the futility of the courses of Capitalism, the 'greed' degrees, the last line; 'a PHD in fuck you' always brings a smile to my face. Truly this man is a genius, and the band are the perfect foil for such undiluted, intelligent anger.
Its also a summation of what I think has happened in this decade. Culture, religion and education have gone through change but its not the sort of change you want to celebrate, more like a bitter after-taste or the process of digesting a shit sandwich.
This is my interpretation of Labyrinth:
Verse 1
Running through this maze cry at what i see A civilisation with values alien to me All the role models, lost souls, false gods that i am shown Ordeals that i pass through for purposes unknown? In the cul-de-sac turn back on my trade from the cul-de-sac
Its like being trapped inside a maze where human values have become so alien that all there is so called role models, lost souls, false gods, and finding out where are my values and where do I come from.
Chorus
Help try getting me out In a transient phase At the end of an age Running through this maze
A scream to get out the nightmare called the everyday world. Almost saying I want to get off this ride because its too much and I am going to vomit.
Verse 2
Some born again idiot tracks me down and i couldn't escape Trying to notch up points for his entrance fee to new jerusalem "Do you love the lord your god with all your dogma?" He said "you'll get it all back in the next life" Get it all back, get it all back
A middle finger to religion, mainly aimed at born again sycophants who go onto the streets spouting about Jesus and God and all that nonsense when a person wants to live their life. This part of verse 2 is really hilarious "Do you love the lord your god with all your dogma?", I think its saying to the born again sycophants even though you want your ticket to heaven, do you really love your god since your religion is based on lies.
Bridge
Mystery schools for the fools, great seats of learning Business, lawsuits, market forces no philosophy courses A bachelors degree in loopholes and a masters in self-interest Studies for automatons and syllabus two A city and guilds in extortion and a ph.d. in fuck you
A middle finger aimed at education, mainly higher education. In a ironic way, its mainly the rich children and heirs of corporations that get the best education while the small-town kids get to go to state funded schools for their education. There is a rally against the greed degrees and Capitalism and the fight for philosophy courses.