"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.
If it makes you less sad
I will die by your hand
Hope you find out what you want
Already know what I am
And if it makes you less sad
We'll start talking again
You can tell me how vile I already know that I am
I'll grow old, start acting my age
Be a brand new day in a life that you hate
A crown of gold
A heart that's harder than stone
And it hurts a whole lot
But it's missed when it's gone
Call me a safe bet
I'm bettin' I'm not
I'm glad that you can forgive
Only hoping as time goes, you can forget
If it makes you less sad
I'll move out of the state
You can keep to yourself
I'll keep out of your way
And if it makes you less sad
I'll take your pictures all down
Every picture you paint
I will paint myself out
It's cold as a tomb
And it's dark in your room
When I sneak to your bed
To pour salt in your wounds
So call it quits or get a grip
Say you wanted a solution
You just wanted to be missed
Call me a safe bet
I'm betting I'm not
I'm glad that you can forgive
Only hoping as time goes, you can forget
So you can forget
You can forget
You are calm and reposed
Let your beauty unfold
Pale white, like the skin stretched over your bones
Spring keeps you ever close
You are second hand smoke
You are so fragile and thin
Standing trial for your sins
Holding onto yourself the best you can
You are the smell before rain
You are the blood in my veins
Call me a safe bet
I'm bettin' I'm not
I'm glad that you can forgive
Only hoping as time goes, you can forget
I will die by your hand
Hope you find out what you want
Already know what I am
And if it makes you less sad
We'll start talking again
You can tell me how vile I already know that I am
I'll grow old, start acting my age
Be a brand new day in a life that you hate
A crown of gold
A heart that's harder than stone
And it hurts a whole lot
But it's missed when it's gone
Call me a safe bet
I'm bettin' I'm not
I'm glad that you can forgive
Only hoping as time goes, you can forget
If it makes you less sad
I'll move out of the state
You can keep to yourself
I'll keep out of your way
And if it makes you less sad
I'll take your pictures all down
Every picture you paint
I will paint myself out
It's cold as a tomb
And it's dark in your room
When I sneak to your bed
To pour salt in your wounds
So call it quits or get a grip
Say you wanted a solution
You just wanted to be missed
Call me a safe bet
I'm betting I'm not
I'm glad that you can forgive
Only hoping as time goes, you can forget
So you can forget
You can forget
You are calm and reposed
Let your beauty unfold
Pale white, like the skin stretched over your bones
Spring keeps you ever close
You are second hand smoke
You are so fragile and thin
Standing trial for your sins
Holding onto yourself the best you can
You are the smell before rain
You are the blood in my veins
Call me a safe bet
I'm bettin' I'm not
I'm glad that you can forgive
Only hoping as time goes, you can forget
Lyrics submitted by XBeautifulLetdownX
The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot Lyrics as written by Jesse Lacey
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
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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.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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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,
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Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
So I agree with a lot of what you are all saying. I think this is about a guy who doesn't feel the same way the girl does, and he feels bad about it. He wants her to be happy but not with him (until the end IMO).
"When I sneak in your bed to pour salt in your wounds." This is because he is still sleeping with her/seeing her, even though he knows he wont be with her, and she is taking what she can get, hoping that he'll change his mind.
"So call it quits or get a grip, you say you wanted a solution, you just wanted to be missed." I think he's telling her to either get over him for good, or just accept what they are doing. I think she tried breaking up with him, just so he would miss her and realize how much he needed her, but it didn't work out that way and now she is hurt.
"You are calm and reposed, let your beauty unfold" he is telling her that she is beautiful and will be fine moving on and finding someone else. Then I feel like he gets angry about that, saying she is second-hand smoke (bad for him) and she is weak and full of guilt.
But then at last he goes on to say "you are the smell before rain, you are the blood in my veins." So this is where I think it changes things up. I think she finally leaves him alone and tries to move on, and he realizes he needs her like he needs the blood in his veins. He never had the opportunity to really cherish her and miss her, because she was always coming around, either to yell at him, beg him back, or sleep with him. I think once she finally stopped, he realized how much he needed her. "You are the smell before rain." Everyone loves the smell before rain. Its a common and lovely thing. "You are the blood in my veins." He needs her to feel alive. He misses her and regrets what he did to her, but I guess he just can't take her back after she finally gave up.