"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.
My baby thought that I'd be the perfect spouse
we left for work from our white suburban house
and then she chewed up fifty tablets of valium
yummy yummy in the tummy
The food chain and I have a tedious relationship
enslaving me so now I'm dying to exist
but then at dawn ya gotta do it all over again
and again and again and again
I'm a maladaptive function of the wealth of nations
I wont be a factory handyman workin on a lifetime plan
I'm in the non-productive division of the profit motive
I'm a deadbeat, a loser, a parasitic user
a moocher, a cop-out, a wimpy gutted limp dick
A fateful shadow seems to follow us all as human beings,
did we descend from apes or evolve from a Big Machine
does mechanized behavior provide us with what we really need
what we really need as human beings
What are we doing with a statue of liberty
is there anybody out there who can still think critically,
you're just all suckers but now you wanna suck up my soul
I sold my soul
You don't think for a second that I'm not the only one
the repetitive monotony that you accept has turned you numb
your vulgur antidotes won't lure me towards and assembly line life
it's my intention to defend my violation
we left for work from our white suburban house
and then she chewed up fifty tablets of valium
yummy yummy in the tummy
The food chain and I have a tedious relationship
enslaving me so now I'm dying to exist
but then at dawn ya gotta do it all over again
and again and again and again
I'm a maladaptive function of the wealth of nations
I wont be a factory handyman workin on a lifetime plan
I'm in the non-productive division of the profit motive
I'm a deadbeat, a loser, a parasitic user
a moocher, a cop-out, a wimpy gutted limp dick
A fateful shadow seems to follow us all as human beings,
did we descend from apes or evolve from a Big Machine
does mechanized behavior provide us with what we really need
what we really need as human beings
What are we doing with a statue of liberty
is there anybody out there who can still think critically,
you're just all suckers but now you wanna suck up my soul
I sold my soul
You don't think for a second that I'm not the only one
the repetitive monotony that you accept has turned you numb
your vulgur antidotes won't lure me towards and assembly line life
it's my intention to defend my violation
Lyrics submitted by rocket.jaw.smash
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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@[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.
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,
American Town
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.