"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.
And he'll tell her he's working late again
But she knows too well there's something going on
She's been neglected, and she needs a friend
So her trembling fingers dial the telephone
Lord, it hurts her doing this again
He's the best friend that her husband ever knew
When she's lonely, he's more than just a friend
He's the one she longs to give her body to
Daytime friends and nighttime lovers
Hoping no one else discovers
Where they go, what they do, in their secret hideaway
Daytime friends and nighttime lovers
They don't want to hurt the others
So they love in the nighttime
And shake hands in the light of day
When it's over, there's no peace of mind
Just a longing for the way things should have been
And she wonders why some men never find
That a woman needs a lover and a friend
Daytime friends and nighttime lovers
Hoping no one else discovers
Where they go, what they do, in their secret hideaway
Daytime friends and nighttime lovers
They don't want to hurt the others
So they love in the nighttime
And shake hands in the light of day
Daytime friends and nighttime lovers
But she knows too well there's something going on
She's been neglected, and she needs a friend
So her trembling fingers dial the telephone
Lord, it hurts her doing this again
He's the best friend that her husband ever knew
When she's lonely, he's more than just a friend
He's the one she longs to give her body to
Daytime friends and nighttime lovers
Hoping no one else discovers
Where they go, what they do, in their secret hideaway
Daytime friends and nighttime lovers
They don't want to hurt the others
So they love in the nighttime
And shake hands in the light of day
When it's over, there's no peace of mind
Just a longing for the way things should have been
And she wonders why some men never find
That a woman needs a lover and a friend
Daytime friends and nighttime lovers
Hoping no one else discovers
Where they go, what they do, in their secret hideaway
Daytime friends and nighttime lovers
They don't want to hurt the others
So they love in the nighttime
And shake hands in the light of day
Daytime friends and nighttime lovers
Lyrics submitted by ButNeverOutgunned
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Gentle Hour
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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.
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Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
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American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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