"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.
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
Apocalyptic dreams see the ordinary madness
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
I never lock the dogs when the wolf is in the darkness
Come on, come on the motherfucker's on fire
He cut through the bone, he cut through the wire
Come on, come on the motherfucker's on fire
He cut through the bone, he cut through the wire
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
Into another world number nine bring the death in
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
Loser take it all, getting high on the kick in
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
Got 24 hours of psychoholic magic
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
Illuminate the face and the eye of the serpent
Come on, come on the motherfucker's on fire
He cut through the bone, he cut through the wire
Come on, come on the motherfucker's on fire
He cut through the bone, he cut through the wire
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm already dead
Apocalyptic dreams see the ordinary madness
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
I never lock the dogs when the wolf is in the darkness
Come on, come on the motherfucker's on fire
He cut through the bone, he cut through the wire
Come on, come on the motherfucker's on fire
He cut through the bone, he cut through the wire
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
Into another world number nine bring the death in
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
Loser take it all, getting high on the kick in
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
Got 24 hours of psychoholic magic
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
Illuminate the face and the eye of the serpent
Come on, come on the motherfucker's on fire
He cut through the bone, he cut through the wire
Come on, come on the motherfucker's on fire
He cut through the bone, he cut through the wire
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm already dead
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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."
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.
fuckin charlie manson and the family.
Sweet I never knew that, doesn't suprise me any that's what it's about.
Great song, then again this whole album rocked.
im not shure that its about that but the sound clips at the begenning of the song were members of the family takling.
Oh I just saw this on a promotional poster for the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie. The "Who will survive and what will be left of them" part.
I'd also like to add, towards the middle (and also towards the very end) of the song when it transitions into a person screaming "Yes lord! Yes lord, hallelujah!", this was taken from an episode of Cops who went out on a disturbance call to find this lady screaming. (its the cop talking to her telling her to have a seat, and asking her if she feels like hurting herself)
I'd also like to add, towards the middle (and also towards the very end) of the song when it transitions into a person screaming "Yes lord! Yes lord, hallelujah!", this was taken from an episode of Cops who went out on a disturbance call to find this lady screaming. (its the cop talking to her telling her to have a seat, and asking her if she feels like hurting herself)
And the part right after it which states "I keep a close watch on this heart of mine, I walk a line, I walk a line" is from Charlie himself.
nods The song's about Charles Manson. Rob has attested to this himself. "Real Solution #9" refers to suicide, I believe. Could be wrong, though.
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Just to add something obvious but as of yet unmentioned, the title "Real Solution #9" is a play on the Beatles song "Revolution #9" which I believe (not 100%) is from The White Album, the same album that Manson got many ideas and theories (Helter Skelter, anyone?) from.