"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'm tricked by your smile
Want to be forgiven
Waiting for the battle
Aching for belief
But your answer is wrong
And my spirit is broken
Like choirs in the winter
Singing out of key
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I shape the things to come
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
I try so hard
To fight for an illusion
Holding my breath
Biting my tongue
I try to cope
So give me a reason
I'm waiting for help
I'm trapped by my guilt
Want to be forgotten
Tired of the noise
Aching for relief
But your anger is gone
And my silence is golden
Like fires on the water
Drifting out of reach
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I shape the things to come
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I shape the things to come
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
Want to be forgiven
Waiting for the battle
Aching for belief
But your answer is wrong
And my spirit is broken
Like choirs in the winter
Singing out of key
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I shape the things to come
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
I try so hard
To fight for an illusion
Holding my breath
Biting my tongue
I try to cope
So give me a reason
I'm waiting for help
I'm trapped by my guilt
Want to be forgotten
Tired of the noise
Aching for relief
But your anger is gone
And my silence is golden
Like fires on the water
Drifting out of reach
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I shape the things to come
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I shape the things to come
I am silent
Invisible to you
While I count the days gone by
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Fast Car
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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”
Dreamwalker
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
Ever break up a relationship and felt guilty at the pain you caused to the other person. Despite anything you do you can't reach out to the other lest they mistake your compassion for a desire to return to the way things were...
I know the feeling... and it's put into words so well...
I dont agree with what your saying, i understand that for someone who have been in this situation that is what the lyrics means. But listen to the first part "I'm tricked by your smile waiting for the battle want to be forgiven aching for belief" at least to me this is more a lyric about feeling love for someone but being unable to tell, the part, "want to be forgiven" is´nt because he has allready done something to hurt her but is the feeling of guilt because of his feelings towards her. And the only thing he really want is to talk to her about it. But she doesnt have the same feelings towards him and hes spirit is broken, therefor he feels invicible and silent, but allways still hoping that he will be seen and heard one day.but then she has forgotten about what he have done and he has coped with hiding what he feels because silence is golden. it may to some look like a happy ending but its really not because hes silent again. But still this is what he wanted he fighted for a ilussion. But this is only what i think
From the moment I heard this song, I thought of much different topic...
Ceasing to beleive of a god you beleive in.
but that's just my take... The last set of lyrics seems to disprove this though
To me it sounds like the narrator is realizing that someone he knew and thought he was close to doesn't really know him at all.
The phrase 'invisible and silent' makes me think of Front 242's "circling overland" which uses the phrase too. I don't think there's a connection except maybe in subtle homage to 242, the lyrics don't seem related at all, but I can't shake the feeling.
seems to me like a man who lost his faith and his conversation with god. like the chorus could be god, invisible and silent, you aren't sure he's there
Für mich ist die Bedeutung klar mit der Zeile "gefangen in meiner Schuld".... Ich hatte vom ersten Hören an das Gefühl, hier hat jemand grosse Schuld auf sich geladen und hofft auf Absolution.