"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.
Parched land no desert sand, sun is just a dot
And a little bit of water goes a long way, 'cause it's hot
Three good buddies were laughin' and smoking
In the back of a rented Ford
They couldn't know they weren't going far
Each one with the money in his pocket
Could go out and buy himself a brand new car
But they all held the money they had
Money they hoped would take them very far
Sky's bright, the traffic light, now and then a truck
And they hadn't seen a cop around all day (what luck)
They brought everything they needed
Bags and scales to weigh the stuff
The driver said the border's just over the bluff
It wasn't until the car suddenly stopped
In the middle of a cold and barren place
And the other guy turned and spilled
Three boys blood, did they know a trap had been laid?
They're okay the last days of May, but I'll be breathin' dry air
I'm leaving soon, the others are already there (all there)
You wouldn't be interested in coming along, instead of staying here?
It's said the West is nice this time of year, that's what they say
And a little bit of water goes a long way, 'cause it's hot
Three good buddies were laughin' and smoking
In the back of a rented Ford
They couldn't know they weren't going far
Each one with the money in his pocket
Could go out and buy himself a brand new car
But they all held the money they had
Money they hoped would take them very far
Sky's bright, the traffic light, now and then a truck
And they hadn't seen a cop around all day (what luck)
They brought everything they needed
Bags and scales to weigh the stuff
The driver said the border's just over the bluff
It wasn't until the car suddenly stopped
In the middle of a cold and barren place
And the other guy turned and spilled
Three boys blood, did they know a trap had been laid?
They're okay the last days of May, but I'll be breathin' dry air
I'm leaving soon, the others are already there (all there)
You wouldn't be interested in coming along, instead of staying here?
It's said the West is nice this time of year, that's what they say
Lyrics submitted by radicaledward76, edited by 3d1mandakng
Then Came the Last Days of May Lyrics as written by Donald Roeser
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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Fast Car
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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."
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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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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.
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"A true story about some guys from Long Island, New York who drove out West to find some illegal substances. Some to smoke and some to sell and unfortunately they met a fate they didn't deserve."
Buck Dharma - UK Tour 2003
This song has a basis in fact from people the band knew or heard of. Mostly they were trying to portray that the summer of love was over. You no longer get a smiling hippy handing you a free hit of acid so that you too can know this joy; instead you get the shaft and a shallow grave. Black Sabbath and a few others tried to convey this, but they were considered unique and not an accurate reflection of the way things really were. At the time, the only people who took Iggy Pop seriously were those who were just as messed up as he was. It is worthwhile to note that the sun sets in the West. In ancient history, that direction was known for the sun's death every night and therefore the location of the underworld. Never discount BOC's ability to wax esoteric.
yeah, you guys got it pretty much right.
"According to Buck Dharma, "(Then Came The) Last Days Of May" is the true story of three collegiate drug dealers who went to Tucson to score for the fall semester. They were ripped off and shot. While two of the guys died, the other survived to testify against the perpetrators, who were two young men from a notorious wealthy local family. They apparently served about ten years in prison before being released."
found this info here: members.aol.com/bocfaqman/boc_faq.html
It's about a drug deal that goes sour.
They three kids get money, they have scales to weigh the "stuff", they're heading over the border.
Then the driver (I think) kills them, "a trap had been laid".
I'm not too sure on the last verse, but I think it's something about death.
You've all missed the central point of awesomeness of this song. It's pretty subtle. Who the fuck is the only person who could be singing this song?
This song is sung from the POV of the guy who murdered the passengers. The driver is singing this song. He killed them all, took their money, and is now moving on to other things, and inviting you to be his next victim.
I bet BOC is pretty disappointed how few people got this song.
Yup - you got it
"The driver is singing this song."<br /> <br /> Absolutely! Makes perfect sense. It must be the driver. That's why he sings:<br /> <br /> The driver said, "The border's just over the bluff"<br /> <br /> Who else could it be but the driver? Yep, BOC is pretty disappointed.
The driver is not telling the story. The 5th line says 'Three good buddies of mine...' Also, the driver was not the killer, 'And the other guy turned and spilled, Three boys blood...'<br /> <br /> Must be has Buck said (cuz he wrote it?). One of the 3 buddies survived.
woops i didnt realize i could reply to these. anyway, alot of the lyrics written up there^^ are not what is in the song. Unless the voices saying those extra words are even quiter than the ones saying "all there" and "what luck", i'm pretty sure that them lyrics ain't right. But this other dude has a point, the driver is presented as another character in the story, if it was him narrating it, he would have said "i said the...." Maybe it could be a friend of the three boys?? One who was left after it went wrong to find them or deduce what happened by himself? The way Bloom was talkin' about it when i saw them, made it sound like whoever wrote the lyrics (it seriously could have been one or more of more than 10 people)was the person who knew them. I dont know, sorry this is so long, i have been DYING to debate BOC lyrics with someone other than my father for years now, and all my stupid SHEEP friends won't stop for 15 seconds and actually hear them as anything more than a blurred background noise. So I'm pretty excited about this whole debate thing. Who would have thought, BOC NERD?? ha!
@muldrake The guy who's singing the song is indeed the man who killed the three boys. But he's not the driver. The three boys were making a deal with two men. One was the driver, the other guy was sitting in the front-right seat (aka shotgun seat) of the car. That's why he says, "then the other guy turned and spilled three boys blood," instead of, "the driver turned and spilled three boys blood."
@muldrake Alternatively, it could be the one boy who survived who is recalling what happened to him as he tries to make it back to civilization in the middle of the desert. In that interpretation, the last verse would be him being harshly sarcastic about his dire predicament.<br /> <br /> And another interpretation is that Death is narrating the whole thing.<br /> <br /> So there's many different, valid interpretations. BOC is not disappointed in people who wanna interpret the song how they choose, I'm sure of that much.
I think there a few too many words in these^^. Muldrake i never saw it that way until i read your comment just now, and it certainly fits. I just saw BOC in Oct. 2011, and the first time on halloween night in 2008!!(or 09?)!!! The guys playing with Eric Bloom & Buck Dharma are pretty good! Probably from touring with them for so long!!
@HarvesterofEyes I fixed those lyrics, they should be completely accurate now.
There seems to be 6 people in this song , The "three good buddies" in the back of a rented Ford. The friend of the three good buddies telling most of the story, that some how knows the story without actually being there. That's 4 people
The "driver" of the car, and "the other guy", both in the front seats. These are people 5 and 6.
Bags and scales would suggest a drug deal for Pot gone bad.
The Driver and other guy are the bad guys, with the other guy being the blood spiller.
For most of this song, this story is told in 3rd tense, by the friend of the three good buddies. This friend some who some how knows the story, but doesn't look to be there, maybe God or some spirit.
In the last verse the tense changes to first person, to one of the three good buddies, the one who is still alive, but expecting to die soon. He will soon be breathing dry air, he will become a skeleton. The last three lines are probably just sarcastic humour.
Just My Humble Opinion..!!
I got to spend 2 days with the band in the 70s we mostly party alot. the song is about 3 boys from IU that went shopping. there was more that did not make the 1st trip, its there tell of the song
Whoever transcribed the lyrics above added and changed several things unnecessarily. Here are the correct lyrics for the studio version.
Parched land no desert sand Sun is just a dot And a little bit of water goes a long way 'cause it's hot (it's hot) Three good buddies were laughin' and smokin' In the back of a rented Ford They couldn't have known they weren't going far
Each one with the money in his pocket To go out and buy himself a brand new car But they all held the money they had Money they hoped would take them very far
Sky's bright with traffic light Now and then a truck And I haven't seen a cop around all day (what luck) They brought everything they needed Bags and scales to weigh the stuff The driver said "The border's just over the bluff"
Wasn't until the car suddenly stopped In the middle of a cold and barren plain And the other guy turned and spilled Three boys' blood did they know a trap had been lain
They're OK the last days of May I'll be breathing dry air I'm leaving soon The others are already there (all there) Wouldn't be interested in coming along Instead of staying here? Parched land, no desert sand The sun is just a little dot And a little bit of water goes a long way 'cause it's hot (it's hot) Three good buddies of mine were laughin' and smokin' In the back of a rented Ford They couldn't know they weren't going too far
Each one with the money in his pocket To go out and buy himself a brand new car But they all held the money they had Money they hoped would take them very far
Sky's bright, the traffic light Now and then a truck And they hadn't seen a cop around all day (what luck) They brought everything they needed Bags and scales to weigh the stuff The driver said, "The border's just over the bluff"
Wasn't until the car suddenly stopped In the middle of a cold and barren plain And the other guy turned and spilled Three boys blood did they know a trap had been laid?
They're OK the last days of May But I'll be breathin' dry air I'm leaving soon The others are already there (all there) Wouldn't be interested in coming along Instead of staying here? It's said the West is nice this time of year That's what they say
Disregard this post and read the next as the wrong lyrics were mysteriously inserted towards the end. It posted properly the second time.
I think the last verse unfolds before the rest of the song happened. The narrator is invited to come along with this one fellow who is about to join up with two of his buddies who's out in the west smoking and partying. The narrator stays at home and avoids the faith of his buddies.