"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.
I don't wanna stay at your party
I don't wanna talk with your friends
I don't wanna vote for your president
I just wanna be your tugboat captain
There's a place I'd like to be
The place I'd like to be
The place I'd like to be
The place I'd be happy
The place I'd like to be
The place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd like to be
The place I'd be happy
I don't wanna stay at your party
I don't wanna talk to your friends
I don't wanna vote for your president
I just wanna be your tugboat captain
There's a place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd like to be
The place I'd like to be
The place I'd be happy
There's place I'd like to be
The place I'd like to see
There's a place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd be happy
I don't wanna talk with your friends
I don't wanna vote for your president
I just wanna be your tugboat captain
There's a place I'd like to be
The place I'd like to be
The place I'd like to be
The place I'd be happy
The place I'd like to be
The place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd like to be
The place I'd be happy
I don't wanna stay at your party
I don't wanna talk to your friends
I don't wanna vote for your president
I just wanna be your tugboat captain
There's a place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd like to be
The place I'd like to be
The place I'd be happy
There's place I'd like to be
The place I'd like to see
There's a place I'd like to be
There's a place I'd be happy
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More Featured Meanings
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."
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.
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.
Presumably written with Velvet Underground guitarist Sterling Morrison is mind - after leaving the VU he become somewhat of an isolationist, pursuing a Ph. D in midevil studies and becoming a tugboat captain. I think the song more generally is about escaping the trivialities of the social world, and reconnecting with life and nature. I think of a tugboat captain as someone who charters the vast, open waters. But then again tugboat captains have a specific destination they are heading to. So a tugboat captain is not entirely a recluse, but maintains just enough of a link to society to know why he no longer wants to be there. This song is then a call to let go of the modern world and return to a more natural, simple way of life.
it so weird, I'd always tought this song said "open your presents"instead of "vote for your president". I thought it was a song about a whimsical and possesive character who desesperately craves attention, now I see it as a much more political song.
<br /> And you'd be wrong. It's not political.
A perfect little love song that has inspired at least two generations of indie songwriters since.
And yes, the "tugboat captain" part is indeed a reference to Sterling Morrison, Dean Wareham's hero and main influence on guitar.
Wow. This song says so much without having to use a lot of words. It's just enough to give you an idea and lets you fill in the rest.
i love this song.
Better lyrics have not been written.
though I presume this song is largely about Sterling Morrison, I do really enjoy thinking about it as a sort of strange romantic song. When I first listened to it I really identified the lyrics with the feeling of falling in love as a very tired introvert, a sort of self-aware, egotistical and crazed yet beautiful feeling of "why would I do anything else? why would I talk to anyone else? when all I want is to be around you and you alone." (or on this case, to 'be your tugboat captain')
It's about not conforming to societal demands, and to do what makes you happy.
I like to look at the image of a tugboat captain as wanting to be someone who paves the way and inspires others. the same way a tugboat guides a huge ship into the dock, i see the tugboat captain as someone who creates a space for new artists to rise to the top. someone who wants to stay underground while still making a big change in the world.