"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.
I don't want to be your friend
I just want to be your lover
No matter how it ends
No matter how it starts
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
And fall off the table
Get swept under
Denial, denial
The infrastructure will collapse
Voltage spikes
Throw your keys in the bowl
Kiss your husband goodnight
And forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Fall off the table
And get swept under
Denial, denial
Denial, denial
(Your ears should be burning)
Denial, denial
(Your ears should be burning)
I just want to be your lover
No matter how it ends
No matter how it starts
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
And fall off the table
Get swept under
Denial, denial
The infrastructure will collapse
Voltage spikes
Throw your keys in the bowl
Kiss your husband goodnight
And forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Forget about your house of cards
And I'll do mine
Fall off the table
And get swept under
Denial, denial
Denial, denial
(Your ears should be burning)
Denial, denial
(Your ears should be burning)
Lyrics submitted by deryk
House of Cards Lyrics as written by Edward John O'brien Colin Charles Greenwood
Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Bluewater Music Corp., Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Fast Car
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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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throw your keys in the bowl kiss your husband good night
that says it all, this is about an estranged married couple who attends swinger parties to try to mix things up a bit, but they are really just living in denial about the inevitable end of their relationship.
Well said!!
@fuzzyslothbear I really don't think it represents swinger parties. I think it is meant to paint the picture of going home to her empty relationship with her husband at the end of the day, tossing her keys in the bowl by the front door, and kissing her husband goodnight as if nothing has changed, but also in a robotic habitual way. Denial, and retreat to sleep.
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