"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.
Can you remember a time when this city was
A great place for architects and dilettantes
A nice place for midwives and crossing guards
And on and on
Hold on, hold on, children
Your mother and father are leaving, leaving
Do you remember a time when this pool was
A great place for water wings and cannonballs
A nice place for astrologists and blow up dolls
And on and on and on and on
Hold on, hold on, children
Your mother and father are leaving
Hold on, hold on, children
Your best friend's parents are leaving, leaving
Hold on, hold on, children
Your mother and father are leaving
Hold on, hold on, children
Your best friend's parents are leaving, leaving
Hold on, hold on, children
Your best friend's parents are leaving
A great place for architects and dilettantes
A nice place for midwives and crossing guards
And on and on
Hold on, hold on, children
Your mother and father are leaving, leaving
Do you remember a time when this pool was
A great place for water wings and cannonballs
A nice place for astrologists and blow up dolls
And on and on and on and on
Hold on, hold on, children
Your mother and father are leaving
Hold on, hold on, children
Your best friend's parents are leaving, leaving
Hold on, hold on, children
Your mother and father are leaving
Hold on, hold on, children
Your best friend's parents are leaving, leaving
Hold on, hold on, children
Your best friend's parents are leaving
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
my favorite by dfa1979!
I think is about how everything in the world is changing. "Your mother and father are leaving." -Maybe they mean divorce? Divorce 'back in the day' wasn't as common as it is now.
"Do you remember back when this city was...?" -Maybe they mean that most everything on this planet is corrupt and no good?
kdfhgdfg I don't know. I'm curious as to why they named this song "Black History Month."
this song has a sick backbeat that reminds me of a part in the foghat song 'slow ride' where it goes - "you know the rhythm is right"...sort of curves up towards the end.. so whenever i hear this song i think of that one. i love it... classic loss of innocence - "Hold on children Your bestfriend's parents are leaving" you totally know theyre gonna throw a sick party and get wasted next to the pool " Do you remember a time when this pool was A great place for waterwings and cannonballs A nice place for astrologists and blow up dolls And on, and on... "
not anymore its not...
i think this song is
someone growing up and moving out
They named that song that because it was written in Feb....Black History Month
when i first heard it it made me think of all these abandoned kids (maybe black kids coz of the title) sitting by the pool in the blazing sun. the sadness in the tone must be coz of the abandonment. when i looked at the lyrics, i thought about it being more of a contrast between their swimming pool when adults were there and when they wern't.
midwaves, waves in the middle of the pool. crossing guards, some game about getting across the pool. architect = adult job. dilitant, (dunno?)perhaps dilutant, like the chemical they'd put in the pool... the first verse is about what the pool was like when their parents were around.
now, in the 2nd verse, they've left so they'll be having a party. they're playing games and they've got blow up dolls floating about coz its one racous party. i get this idea that the subject and their best friend get it on coz they mention 'your best friends parents are leaving'. with the astrologists i think about kids on sun loungers looking up into the stars.
It's not "midwaves", people...it's "MIDWIVES", as in people who help deliver babies.
i always thought this song was about pre-teens who get down when no one's looking. you know. they sip their dad's bud and laugh a lot while swallowing weed roots. or something.
PARTY NAKED
..wtf?
makes me think of South Central or something..
haha jaxey. nicely put.