"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.
Betray
The Avalon is always beside me
And I'm following it home
Where is my home
Orion glows
And his eyes open up
I once believed that I would set you in line
If only I had the strength you'd be completely accepting something else
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you to stop it now
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you just tell me something
The fluid through the alpha waves and power cables everywhere
Exercising self-control
The child calls
And he lies open
I would believe if only I'd been thinking at all
If only I had the strength you'd be completely accepting something else
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you to stop it now
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you just tell me something
If you keep asking me (keep asking me) keep asking me
If only I had the strength you'd be completely accepting something else
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you to stop it now
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you just tell me something
You swore
Out like my life
You cried
So I'm engaged to smile
The Avalon is always beside me
And I'm following it home
Where is my home
Orion glows
And his eyes open up
I once believed that I would set you in line
If only I had the strength you'd be completely accepting something else
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you to stop it now
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you just tell me something
The fluid through the alpha waves and power cables everywhere
Exercising self-control
The child calls
And he lies open
I would believe if only I'd been thinking at all
If only I had the strength you'd be completely accepting something else
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you to stop it now
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you just tell me something
If you keep asking me (keep asking me) keep asking me
If only I had the strength you'd be completely accepting something else
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you to stop it now
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you just tell me something
You swore
Out like my life
You cried
So I'm engaged to smile
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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."
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,
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.
i think that he's singing about a girl that won't stop bugging him about a relationship, or something of that nature, and the more she asks him things and the more she talks about it, the more he feels pressured and secluded. "if you keep asking me i'll melt away in the summer air", melt away as in just break down. he's had enough, and doesn't want anymore.