"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.
We were born during the boom times
Played house down in the bomb shelter
Suffered through the wonder years
And silence at the dinner hour
But once upon a summertime
Out behind the old garage
We were buzzing on midnight
Luckys and Rolling Rock
Thinking we were heroes in our own hometown
Nothing less than heroes in that old hometown
Some married on a day in June
Some disappeared without a trace
And some of us are still at large
Still searching for a better place
But once upon another time
It didn't matter what they said
Didn't matter if we fell behind
We'd still come out ahead
'Cause we believed in heroes in that old hometown
Hey, you could be a hero in your own hometown
Now I'm long away and very far
From gazing at an evening sky
From wishing on a shooting star
From thinking that a heart can't lie
This world is gonna wear you thin
Knot you up and spin you round
This world will take its aim, call you every name
Trying to bring you down
Everything seems so clear
When you're looking back from such a distance
When the road not taken disappears
Into the path of least resistance
But once upon a time oh-so long ago
Underneath this same old sky, every brand new road
Would know that we were heroes in our own hometown
Nothing less than heroes in that old hometown
We still loved a hero in our own hometown
Baby, you could be a hero in your own hometown
Played house down in the bomb shelter
Suffered through the wonder years
And silence at the dinner hour
But once upon a summertime
Out behind the old garage
We were buzzing on midnight
Luckys and Rolling Rock
Thinking we were heroes in our own hometown
Nothing less than heroes in that old hometown
Some married on a day in June
Some disappeared without a trace
And some of us are still at large
Still searching for a better place
But once upon another time
It didn't matter what they said
Didn't matter if we fell behind
We'd still come out ahead
'Cause we believed in heroes in that old hometown
Hey, you could be a hero in your own hometown
Now I'm long away and very far
From gazing at an evening sky
From wishing on a shooting star
From thinking that a heart can't lie
This world is gonna wear you thin
Knot you up and spin you round
This world will take its aim, call you every name
Trying to bring you down
Everything seems so clear
When you're looking back from such a distance
When the road not taken disappears
Into the path of least resistance
But once upon a time oh-so long ago
Underneath this same old sky, every brand new road
Would know that we were heroes in our own hometown
Nothing less than heroes in that old hometown
We still loved a hero in our own hometown
Baby, you could be a hero in your own hometown
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
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,
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.