"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.
One eye goes laughing
One eye goes crying
Through the trials and trying of one life
One hand is tied
One step gets behind
In one breath we're dying
Ah
I've been waiting for the sun to come up
Waiting for the showers to stop
Waiting for the penny to drop
One time
And I've been standing in a cloud of plans
Standing on the shifting sands
Hoping for an open hand
One time
One eye goes laughing
One eye goes crying
Through the trials and trying of one life
One hand is tied
One step gets behind
In one breath we're dying
Ah
I've been waiting for the sun to come up
Waiting for the showers to stop
Waiting for the penny to drop
One time
And I've been standing in a cloud of plans
Standing on the shifting sands
Hoping for an open hand
One time
One eye goes crying
Through the trials and trying of one life
One hand is tied
One step gets behind
In one breath we're dying
Ah
I've been waiting for the sun to come up
Waiting for the showers to stop
Waiting for the penny to drop
One time
And I've been standing in a cloud of plans
Standing on the shifting sands
Hoping for an open hand
One time
One eye goes laughing
One eye goes crying
Through the trials and trying of one life
One hand is tied
One step gets behind
In one breath we're dying
Ah
I've been waiting for the sun to come up
Waiting for the showers to stop
Waiting for the penny to drop
One time
And I've been standing in a cloud of plans
Standing on the shifting sands
Hoping for an open hand
One time
Lyrics submitted by Metropolis, edited by Vadiar
One Time Lyrics as written by Trey Gunn Robert Fripp
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Holiday
Bee Gees
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Mountain Song
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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."
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.
I don't know if I'm correct but to me this song suggests that life is fragile (In one breath we're dying) and we never know what hardships we may come to endure in life and that there may be no reward for our efforts. Also that we're like beggars when it comes to our future plans and their certainty, and our chances of changing what life has in store for us.
I think you're pretty close, and there's always room for interpratation in Belew's stuff. I just have t say that I kind of "discovered" this song on the Eyes Wide Open DVD, and I was so surprised. It's got to be one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in recent years.
line 9 "waiting for the panic to drop"
Amazing song
Shine On
line 9 "waiting for the panic to drop"
Amazing song
Shine On
I'm pretty sure it's "waiting for the penny to drop". Google agrees with me. I agree with kristaps_k's interpretation.
This song immediately struck as written on a large dose of psychedelics, where one isn't bound by time and space. He is everywhere and nowhere, he was, is, and will be and never was at all. All at once. Everything is relative in a single moment. All emotions are present and relevant. And in this moment a rare chance for insight is possible. It reveals how our lives may seem insignicant and yet every waking moment is so imporant. And in this moment, one may find themselves yearning for closeness and better times. And this may bring us into the intimacy of our inner selves. Which explains to me why this song suggests intimacy so much.