"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.
Everyone’s happy because it’s time to leave,
But for some reason I see people crying so hard they can’t breathe.
If you’re so happy then why are you crying?
You have mixed emotions and there’s no denying,
That it’s time to move on,
Although it’s hard to say so long.
I never pictured seeing myself here,
All sad and trembling with fear.
Because something bigger and better is soon to be near,
And yeah you’re excited but still you shed a tear.
You think back on the memories, both good and bad,
You think back on the times when you were happy and sad.
You think about all that you’ve gained and so little you missed,
You think “what if” and then you think about all that you wished.
It’s misleading about how you feel,
So puzzling that you think, “is this for real?”
But still you move on with your friends and foes,
As you sit at your graduation sitting in rows.
Looking around at the people you know,
You spot your best friend and your first bow.
You just nod your head thinking, “I’ll see you again”,
You spot your best friend that you knew since you were ten.
Some of us move and some of us alter,
You just hope that you don’t faulter.
Because high school is soon to come and trust me it’s real,
And it’s indescribable how you feel.
Some of us don’t want to show what we keep inside,
We're all so fragile so don’t let things hide.
Everyone’s nervous, everyone’s scared,
Don’t worry you wont always feel impaired.
And sometimes crying is the only thing to do,
Because inside, you know I'm crying too.
Now you think about when you smiled,
And how you kept all your thoughts filed.
Maybe now you should let them show,
Before your special someone has to go.
I've forgotten some of the stupid things that I've done,
I’ve forgotten some of the times I should have stayed yet run.
I thank god, for my bad memory, I’ve forgotten some of the mean things that rolled off my tongue,
But overall, I was happy. And overall I had a whole lot of fun
But for some reason I see people crying so hard they can’t breathe.
If you’re so happy then why are you crying?
You have mixed emotions and there’s no denying,
That it’s time to move on,
Although it’s hard to say so long.
I never pictured seeing myself here,
All sad and trembling with fear.
Because something bigger and better is soon to be near,
And yeah you’re excited but still you shed a tear.
You think back on the memories, both good and bad,
You think back on the times when you were happy and sad.
You think about all that you’ve gained and so little you missed,
You think “what if” and then you think about all that you wished.
It’s misleading about how you feel,
So puzzling that you think, “is this for real?”
But still you move on with your friends and foes,
As you sit at your graduation sitting in rows.
Looking around at the people you know,
You spot your best friend and your first bow.
You just nod your head thinking, “I’ll see you again”,
You spot your best friend that you knew since you were ten.
Some of us move and some of us alter,
You just hope that you don’t faulter.
Because high school is soon to come and trust me it’s real,
And it’s indescribable how you feel.
Some of us don’t want to show what we keep inside,
We're all so fragile so don’t let things hide.
Everyone’s nervous, everyone’s scared,
Don’t worry you wont always feel impaired.
And sometimes crying is the only thing to do,
Because inside, you know I'm crying too.
Now you think about when you smiled,
And how you kept all your thoughts filed.
Maybe now you should let them show,
Before your special someone has to go.
I've forgotten some of the stupid things that I've done,
I’ve forgotten some of the times I should have stayed yet run.
I thank god, for my bad memory, I’ve forgotten some of the mean things that rolled off my tongue,
But overall, I was happy. And overall I had a whole lot of fun
Lyrics submitted by PunkGrrrly182
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
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.