"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.
cry and cry, and when the tears have stopped,
let's keep a smile on our faces
cry and cry, and if you smile to me, ever by my side
the morning light coming from the window
looks different than usual
this ill air is because I've seen what lay ahead
when the get-well flowers in the vase wilt
I'll leave you, discard everything and go somewhere far away
you always kid around to cheer me up
cheerfully showing me kindness, caring more about me than yourself...
It must be tough. Seeing me this way.
why don't you just come and say you're tired?
you never made a sour face,
you simply held me gently and cried for me.
I wanna live, I don't wanna die. everytime I think of it, the tears spill
I wanna live, there's nothing I can do for you
it seems like I've been asleep quite awhile
next to me only your scent remains
I felt a bit uneasy, the fear welling up within me
and the days go by, a memo came to me
as I waited fro you to come home. It was from you.
I was left dumbfounded by what was written
I cried out as if I'd been broken.
-------------------------------------
(the memo)
I'm sorry.
for acting without your consent
I just wanted to help you.
If I could die for you
nothing would make me happier...
-------------------------------------
you're always watching over me from within me
when I close my eyes and think about you,
I can't forget that smile.
from now I'll live my life looking at the same background over and over
blown by the seabreeze and the light coming from the window
I'll fall asleep.
even if we never awake again.
let's keep a smile on our faces
cry and cry, and if you smile to me, ever by my side
the morning light coming from the window
looks different than usual
this ill air is because I've seen what lay ahead
when the get-well flowers in the vase wilt
I'll leave you, discard everything and go somewhere far away
you always kid around to cheer me up
cheerfully showing me kindness, caring more about me than yourself...
It must be tough. Seeing me this way.
why don't you just come and say you're tired?
you never made a sour face,
you simply held me gently and cried for me.
I wanna live, I don't wanna die. everytime I think of it, the tears spill
I wanna live, there's nothing I can do for you
it seems like I've been asleep quite awhile
next to me only your scent remains
I felt a bit uneasy, the fear welling up within me
and the days go by, a memo came to me
as I waited fro you to come home. It was from you.
I was left dumbfounded by what was written
I cried out as if I'd been broken.
-------------------------------------
(the memo)
I'm sorry.
for acting without your consent
I just wanted to help you.
If I could die for you
nothing would make me happier...
-------------------------------------
you're always watching over me from within me
when I close my eyes and think about you,
I can't forget that smile.
from now I'll live my life looking at the same background over and over
blown by the seabreeze and the light coming from the window
I'll fall asleep.
even if we never awake again.
Lyrics submitted by HuumattuEnkeli
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
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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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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
i love this song thankies!! :)
My intial reaction was that it's about someone with a terminal illness going to die soon. Like cancer maybe. And their partner went and killed themself for him. I can't tell if either mabe they killed themself to maybe donate their organs to save him (the narrator), or just because s/he wanted to be together in death. I'm leaning towards the first idea though.
Well, that's what I gathered just by skimming over it. Could be totally wrong :)
I agree with you, FilthHigh. When I read the lyric translation, it reminded me of someone with a fatal disease of sorts and the memo certainly sounded like said person's lover had killed himself to offer up his organs (or some other body part) in order to save the one he loved. This is such a sad story :( When I first watched the PV for Zakurogata no Yuuutsu, I couldn't quite tell what was going on since the song was really upbeat, fast-paced, and overall didn't express extreme emotions (like anger, for example). The buoyant tune of the song completely masked the tragic tale it was relating (mainly because I'm an illiterate idiot when it comes to Japanese). Asides from that, I aboslutely LOVE how intense and poetic this song is.
I love songs like this one where you have an upbeat feel and vibe to the music but the lyrics are the complete oposite and a total contrast. Even the name is a bit like this. Pomegranite shaped melancholy... You don't really associate pomegranites with melancholy especially not the shape. This is a deeply moving song and yet again another masterpeice from Ruki and the gang. There were even tears in my eyes the first time I saw the english translation to this song. Arigato for posting this ^_^
i think there might be a connection between this and Miseinen o.o if you look at the music videos you may notice that they both have the little boy, the tv, and the pomegranate goop