"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.
Five A.M. on the bathroom floor from the night before
Do you find me dreadful?
What a shame such a sad disgrace,
Such a pretty face, but she's not regretful.
Am I beautiful?
Am I useable?
It's killing time again
Put on your face and let's pretend
These killing lights won't kill us all again.
Three A.M. on the city street,
When the air is sweet
i have had my mouthful.
But it seems that outside the screen
Such a pretty face up in will look dreadful
Am I beautiful?
Am I useable?
It's killing time again
Put on your face and let's pretend
These killing lights won't kill us all again
It's killing time again.
Cover your face and we'll pretend
These killing lights can't kill us all again.
You see, they always remember,
They never forget a face
When they cut, cut you up. They remember
It's killing time again.
Put on your face and let's pretend
These killing lights won't kill us all again.
It's killing time again.
Cover your face and we'll pretend
These killing lights can't kill us all again
All again
All again
It's time again
It's killing time
Do you find me dreadful?
What a shame such a sad disgrace,
Such a pretty face, but she's not regretful.
Am I beautiful?
Am I useable?
It's killing time again
Put on your face and let's pretend
These killing lights won't kill us all again.
Three A.M. on the city street,
When the air is sweet
i have had my mouthful.
But it seems that outside the screen
Such a pretty face up in will look dreadful
Am I beautiful?
Am I useable?
It's killing time again
Put on your face and let's pretend
These killing lights won't kill us all again
It's killing time again.
Cover your face and we'll pretend
These killing lights can't kill us all again.
You see, they always remember,
They never forget a face
When they cut, cut you up. They remember
It's killing time again.
Put on your face and let's pretend
These killing lights won't kill us all again.
It's killing time again.
Cover your face and we'll pretend
These killing lights can't kill us all again
All again
All again
It's time again
It's killing time
Lyrics submitted by Word_up
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
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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.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I think you're taking the vampire theme too literally, I believe the 'vampire' is supposed to be Davey's allegorical way of portraying lovers using and hurting each other, used throughout the album.
you know i absolutley agree with you....like Love Like Winter the 'i taste of blood, he bet my lip and drank my war from years before' sounds a lot like some vampire type thing, cuz that song sounds like he loves this girl, but she loves someone else.<br /> Summer Shudder: 'under the summer rain i burnt away, you turned away' vamps burn in the some (at least some, prelude 12/21...you get the point so mainly...i agree with you
this is my favorite off the new cd! i love the
"when we cut cut cut cut cut cut cut you up, cut cut cut cut cut they remember.
cut cut cut cut cut cut cut you up. cut you uppppppppp." part
Personally, I think it's a little chunk of Straight-Edge commentary, about the whole scene of being in the City and hitting clubs, doing drugs/ drinking, and randomly hooking up. "The killing lights" are a euphemism for the club, what with the strobe lights and such, and "5 am on the bathroom floor, from the night before, do you find me dreadful?" is a pretty obvious implication about a hangover, or some Afterglow. "Such a shame, such a sad disgrace, such a pretty face, but she's not regretful" is about a beautiful girl who's throwing her life away, but she doesn't care, because it's fun. "Am I beautiful? Am I usable?" seems to imply the various hooking-up done on a night out- this beautiful girl giving herself away for nothing. "Three AM on a City Street"- after the clubs close, "Where the air is sweet, and I've had my mouthful"- in the fresh air, she's done for the night, "but it seems that outside the screen", or once she is too old, or whatever, to party anymore, "such a pretty face often will look dreadul". The "Cut you up" bit, i think is either a reference to a hangover, and the immediate downside to partying too hard, or (I like this one better) he's talking about an Autopsy, cutting up the body of a Clubber who OD'd or otherwise got killed in a manner relative to substance abuse.
.....xXx.
Thank you for posting the real meaning and not this vampire shit!
As a girl who can occasionally be found in a pile on a bathroom floor at 5am, I think you nailed this meaning. It really follows perfectly how club life can be beautiful and amazing at the time, but a lot of stupid things can happen, you hurt like hell for the next day or three depending on substances consumed, and a few years on down the road you can really see the toll it can take. A lot of people hide in the clubs and a few even wind up dead from ODs or dangerous situations they unthinkingly get into. This song I think, is not about vampires or plastic surgery, but really about the club and party scene. Also, keep in mind Blaqk Audio came out so close to this album, it's entirely plausible that Davey was witnessing these things in that time period.
I completely agree that it is about the the opposite of straightedge..."such a pretty face such a sad disgrace" ...I think it's talking about the demoralization of youth today and how we are careless and reckless with out bodies and minds..trying to fit into "killing time" ..letting the "killing lights" draw us in and disappear into it's world...also reminded me of a quote by davey...
and
2.Hate humanity? Yep, sure do. There's such a lack of responsibility for one's actions in the world, a selfishness, and a great destruction in the way people live their lives. It's all instant gratification, and who cares how my instant gratification affects those around me, or on a small personal leverl or a global level. The way people treat each other is truly disgusting, and we've created an environment through advances in science and technology that allows for a very septic society to thrive.
btw, I'm new to this site...and I think it rocks that people come here to ponder afi's awesomeness :>
damn dude. you beat the fuck out of all the other answers.
For me, this song is about a celebrity scandal.
I have tried, at least. XD
Pretty much agreed with hyperview. The song seems like a straightedge commentary. Basically, it serves its purpose as a warning for those who wanna get into the current partying lifestyle.
'5am on the bathroom floor, from the night before, do you find me dreadful?' ~ yeah, this line is the most obvious. When I first heard it I thought it was about suicide or self-harm, but after finding out more about Havok I think he's probably disapproving of whatever lead to a hangover, or maybe the character in this did a guy in the bathroom or something. Also, 'do you find me dreadful?', I don't know if that's from the perspective of the character or from Havok, asking if his listeners find him 'dreadful' for criticising this kind of activity.
Also, 'but it seems that outside the screen, such a pretty face often will look dreadful' ~ I think this is trying to convey that if you're wise enough to not be caught up in the facade of popularity, having to drink in order to have fun, etc, and you're 'outside the screen' in that sense, you'll find that their life isn't glamorous, but self-damaging.
'You see, they always remember. They never forget a face when they cut you up' might be referring to gossip and rumours that get passed around social circles about things that happen when the character gets drunk, so they cut up her sense of self by telling other people about the things she does whilst under the influence of drink and drugs that she wouldn't do while sober.
Apart from this, hyperview basically just said it for me.
Amazing song.
Decemeberunderground is such a beautiful album. Anyone else been noticing how much Cure influence seems to be in the album? This song really reminds me of Kyoto Song.
Five a.m. on the bathroom floor from the night before, do you find me dreadul? What a shame such a sad disgrace. Such a pretty face but she's not regretful. Am I beautiful? Am I useable? It's killing time again. Put on your face and let's pretend these killing lights won't kill us all again. Three a.m. on the city street (when the air is sweet.) I have had my mouth full but it seems that outside the screen such a pretty face often will look dreadul. Am I beautiful? Am I useable? It's killing time again. Put on your face and let's pretend these killing lights won't kill us all again. Cover your face and we'll pretend these killing lights can't kill us all again. You see, they always remember. They never forget a face when they cut, cut you up. They remember.
ok so I'm not the only one who thought of the cure while listening to some stuff. This is a beautiful song.