"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.
Hey what's the big deal?
Tell me how to feel?
I know where we boomeranged and fell from grace
Point me to the stars I'm up for the chase
I know where we fell on our face
Jump with me
You jump with me
Hey, what's the big deal?
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
I don't want to boomerang
I don't want to cannonball
I'm not angling
I don't want to fall
Tell me I'm the anchor of my own ascension
Tell me I'm a tourist in the fourth dimension?
Hey, what's the big deal?
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
Work it out
I am vibrating at the speed of light
Take my hand, we'll wind up the night
Spin me, win me, lift me, kiss me
Trip me, cuss me, bend me, trust me
Touch me now
You take my hand
You trust me now
You understand
So what's the big deal?
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
I am vibrating at the speed of light
Tell me how to feel?
I know where we boomeranged and fell from grace
Point me to the stars I'm up for the chase
I know where we fell on our face
Jump with me
You jump with me
Hey, what's the big deal?
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
I don't want to boomerang
I don't want to cannonball
I'm not angling
I don't want to fall
Tell me I'm the anchor of my own ascension
Tell me I'm a tourist in the fourth dimension?
Hey, what's the big deal?
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
Work it out
I am vibrating at the speed of light
Take my hand, we'll wind up the night
Spin me, win me, lift me, kiss me
Trip me, cuss me, bend me, trust me
Touch me now
You take my hand
You trust me now
You understand
So what's the big deal?
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
I'm an animal
I am vibrating at the speed of light
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Little Feat
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
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.
If the tracks on Around the Sun had been like this song or Bad Day, I would have enjoied that record so much more...
i've only heard this song once (i wish i owned in time, but i dont) so my meaning might be wrong. i think its about how people act like animals instead of human beings sometimes.
I recon its about the fact that everyone has such a big issue with people that are slightly 'different' to your average joe, and how this affects Michael, because of being gay. Good song.
I agree ^_^
In In Time, it says it was a completely meaningless song written spontaniously in about ten minuets. Haha. You're all wrong, I rein supreeme! ...anyway, does anyone know what's being said in the background when they're changing "I'm an animal..."?
The answer landed on my rooftop. Whoa. The future and the truth on my rooftop. Whoa. The future is calling me to work it out. Whoa.
edit* It's calling me to work it out.
For ten minutes, this poem is surely a masterwork within the constraints of being meaningless and being fleetly penned.
This song rules...I've always loved "Losing My Religion", this takes maybe a close second for how much it rules.
This song talks about the fact we are animals
Yeah it's "humans are animals" and, I think, a reference to quantum physics changing our perception of reality, yet at the same time we're still animals, so the meaning of quantum physics is fairly irrelevant. So you have "I'm vibrating at the speed of light" (as is everything) and "Tell me I'm a tourist in the fourth dimension" leading to "So what's the big deal? I'm an animal." Whatever, the song rocks ;o)