"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.
Pack up all my cares and woes
Feeling low here I go
Bye, bye blackbird
Where somebody waits for me
Sugar sweet so is she
Bye, bye blackbird
No one seems to love or understand me
And all the hard luck stories they keep handing me
Where somebody shines the light
I'll be coming on home tonight
Bye, bye blackbird
Bye bye blackbird
Bye bye blackbird
Nobody seems to love or understand me
And all the hard luck stories they keep on handing me
Where somebody shines the light
Yes I'm coming on home tonight
Bye, bye blackbird (Oh lord yeah, I wanna sing about that black bird) Oh
Feeling low here I go
Bye, bye blackbird
Where somebody waits for me
Sugar sweet so is she
Bye, bye blackbird
No one seems to love or understand me
And all the hard luck stories they keep handing me
Where somebody shines the light
I'll be coming on home tonight
Bye, bye blackbird
Bye bye blackbird
Bye bye blackbird
Nobody seems to love or understand me
And all the hard luck stories they keep on handing me
Where somebody shines the light
Yes I'm coming on home tonight
Bye, bye blackbird (Oh lord yeah, I wanna sing about that black bird) Oh
Lyrics submitted by planetearth
Bye Bye Blackbird Lyrics as written by Ray Henderson Mort Dixon
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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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.
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“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Page
Ed Sheeran
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Apparently this song is thought to be about a prostitute packing up and returning to mum. I was surprised to learn that there are actually more lyrics that are rarely sung
Blackbird, blackbird singing the blues all day Right outside of my door Blackbird, blackbird who do you sit and say There's no sunshine in store
All thru the winter you hung around Now I begin to feel homeward bound Blackbird, blackbird gotta be on my way Where there's sunshine galore
Pack up all my care and woe Here I go, singing low Bye bye blackbird Where somebody waits for me Sugar's sweet, so is she Bye bye blackbird
No one here can love and understand me Oh, what hard luck stories they all hand me Make my bed and light the light I'll arrive late tonight Blackbird, bye bye
Bluebird bluebird calling me far away I've been longing for you Bluebird bluebird what do I hear you say Skies are turning to blue
I'm like a flower that's fading here Where ev'ry hour is one long tear Bluebird bluebird this is my lucky day Now my dreams will come true
Pack up all my care and woe Here I go, singing low Bye bye blackbird Where somebody waits for me Sugar's sweet, so is she Bye bye blackbird
No one here can love and understand me Oh, what hard luck stories they all hand me Make my bed and light the light I'll arrive late tonight Blackbird, bye bye
lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/b/byebyeblackbird.shtml
@AlfieT - Thanks for the helpful input. WFMU 91.1 in Jersey City has been playing a various of versions of this song non-stop for HOURS. I've been engrossed in my work, but I finally realized maybe I should look up the lyrics. I'm glad I found your comment.