"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.
*it's not the ending its the beginning the ground is moist and it rained last night smells like smoke and it smells so clean the sun is shining down like a freindly white light here we go again analyzed the world i was born into but i could never understand knew i never wanted to grow up if that meant being a "man" dominating strict competition is the meaning of our lives stomping on the weak keeps us the winner of the battle in our minds tensions in our lives that are attacking our minds unite themselves together to make our consciousness blind conditioned to self-interest with emotions locked away if that's what they call normal i'd rather be insane relax yourself from giving what you want to do with your life ease up from giving up things like control of yr own mind if you never ask any question then you're never gonna get no answer always be wondering what do you want while you keep getting older faster here we go again another test of manhood just when you thought you'd won the more we keep competing the more the battle has just begun
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
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."
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,
I love this song. It almost seems impossible that he can talk as fast as he does. Very impressive. This song is definitely about maturing and finding one's station in life.
I can't believe you're the only person to comment man this song is my in my top 3 off energy
Oh and clearly bass driven song - hell yeah!!
Holy shit three comments? This song is one of my favorites, no one has lyrics like op ivy, sung so fast too. Pretty freakin impressive if you ask me. Think the song is about not wanting to grow up and have to be like everyone else and live in a world where success is measured by the job you have and being a "man" means not expressing your emotions [eg. not talking about certain issues, crying, etc.]. "conditioned to self-interest with emotions locked away, if that's what they call normal then I'd rather be insane" Operation icy fucking ROCKS.
this song is amazing. the fast lyrics go well with the ska music. basically it's about nonconforming and staying that way.
If that's what they call normal, then I'd rather be insane.
Makes me feel sane.