The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Sleeping in the valley, valley of ill fortune
Waking cross the river, river of delusion
Full moon lures the waves, waves of desperation
Empty hearts and mouths wither away
So close your eyes
Slow your breath
Dream of northern lights
Around this dance of death
No abandones, no llores, busca tu rio
No te sientas perdido
Gira, vuelta y vuelta gira
Danza de la muerte
Que viene a verte
Bailala
Cup your hands to her parched heart, parched and
Broken heart
No water here to drink way downstream
One goes where the water flows and water's running dry
So don't give up no don't cry, don't cry
Just close our eyes
Pretend we forget
North country dreams
Twist this dance of death
Danza de la muerte
Si viene a verte
Que bailando te encuentre
Bailando, girando
Danza de la muerte
Spin round, spin round, spin round
Vuelta, vuelta, muerte
Bailala
Waking cross the river, river of delusion
Full moon lures the waves, waves of desperation
Empty hearts and mouths wither away
So close your eyes
Slow your breath
Dream of northern lights
Around this dance of death
No abandones, no llores, busca tu rio
No te sientas perdido
Gira, vuelta y vuelta gira
Danza de la muerte
Que viene a verte
Bailala
Cup your hands to her parched heart, parched and
Broken heart
No water here to drink way downstream
One goes where the water flows and water's running dry
So don't give up no don't cry, don't cry
Just close our eyes
Pretend we forget
North country dreams
Twist this dance of death
Danza de la muerte
Si viene a verte
Que bailando te encuentre
Bailando, girando
Danza de la muerte
Spin round, spin round, spin round
Vuelta, vuelta, muerte
Bailala
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"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.
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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 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.
I'm going to repeat the first post on every song:
"I can't believe no one has posted on this yet!"
But yeah. I really enjoy this song. :]
This is one of those songs that sends instant cold shivers down your back. Unbelievable. But what it is about, or is just aesthetically pleasing collection of musical and lyrical phrases? I might be completely wrong, but my first impression was that the song is about endemic violence both sides of the Mexican border. Drug trade, illegal immigration and the prison gangs are dancing this dance of death, and innocents are drawn into it. I don't mean to say that this is straightforward "political" or "message" song: far from it. But it's hard not to think about these "waves of desperation".
I see this song being about the Dance of Death every Mexican immigrant goes through when crossing the rivers and sitting in Death Valley dreaming of this northern country that is a land of dreams to the immigrants. But it's nothing more than an endless dance of death, from crossing getting caught getting sent back.