"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.
You should've been honest
My heart is so heavy
Why you ain't let me know
You wasn't ready
Why you ain't let me know
Why you ain't let me grow
You ain't let it show
You could have let me go
Speak the truth
I can handle it
Wasn't ready
But you ain't say it
I just need
For you to understand
I can do this on my own
You was easing the pain
Showing me love
Keeping me sane
Oh
Everyday
Checking on me
Then it stopped like woah
Now you calling me crazy
I can do that on my own
All the feelings
That you gave me
I keep wishing they were gone
My heart is aching
But I'll keep that on the low
And all the scars that you gave me
Only bleed when I'm alone
Tears dripping down my face as the verse play
I hate I love you but I mean that in the worst way
I'm way too player to be falling for your word play
You put me second but you claiming I'm in first place
Texting on the daily
Blowing up my phone
Now the nigga texting maybe
Trying to read along
While he flipping through the pages
He done did me wrong
He ain't picking up the phone
Now I'm feeling all alone
Speak the truth
I can handle it
Wasn't ready
But you ain't say it
I just need
For you to understand
I can do this on my own
You was easing the pain
Showing me love
Keeping me sane
Oh
Everyday
Checking on me
Then it stopped like woah
Now you calling me crazy
I can do that on my own
All the feelings
That you gave me
I keep wishing they were gone
My heart is aching
But I'll keep that on the low
And all the scars that you gave me
Only bleed when I'm alone
That on my own
They were gone
That on the low
When I'm alone
My heart is so heavy
Why you ain't let me know
You wasn't ready
Why you ain't let me know
Why you ain't let me grow
You ain't let it show
You could have let me go
Speak the truth
I can handle it
Wasn't ready
But you ain't say it
I just need
For you to understand
I can do this on my own
You was easing the pain
Showing me love
Keeping me sane
Oh
Everyday
Checking on me
Then it stopped like woah
Now you calling me crazy
I can do that on my own
All the feelings
That you gave me
I keep wishing they were gone
My heart is aching
But I'll keep that on the low
And all the scars that you gave me
Only bleed when I'm alone
Tears dripping down my face as the verse play
I hate I love you but I mean that in the worst way
I'm way too player to be falling for your word play
You put me second but you claiming I'm in first place
Texting on the daily
Blowing up my phone
Now the nigga texting maybe
Trying to read along
While he flipping through the pages
He done did me wrong
He ain't picking up the phone
Now I'm feeling all alone
Speak the truth
I can handle it
Wasn't ready
But you ain't say it
I just need
For you to understand
I can do this on my own
You was easing the pain
Showing me love
Keeping me sane
Oh
Everyday
Checking on me
Then it stopped like woah
Now you calling me crazy
I can do that on my own
All the feelings
That you gave me
I keep wishing they were gone
My heart is aching
But I'll keep that on the low
And all the scars that you gave me
Only bleed when I'm alone
That on my own
They were gone
That on the low
When I'm alone
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
No, the 1993 radio remix is far better