"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.
The Sheperd: I can't say I've always been honest;
You can't say I've done a disservice.
The girl, she's just a child.
She's got a lot to learn, and I'm helping out.
Your deceit is under your wing, you won't let her go
You know it's not appropriate-but all that hair...and porcelain.
You swear it's more than mere lust.
Into the fold.
If she knew what you do, the pristine routine to fool the rube.
The gentle gentleman, the loathed Lothario.
You feign you've changed your ways, but we know, yeah we know.
Can't you quell this need for submissives?
The Sheperd: Oh such lovely girls.
To lead each tender little lamb into the fold.
And you, my pet, "The Sweetest Yet"
I'll hold you closest to my heart
Into the fold
The Lamb: I was in the student union studying for an English quiz;
He came up and asked directions to the new auditorium.
We walked up and down the campus,
No one had ever heard of it.
He was so embarrassed when he realized he had the wrong college,
He offered to buy us coffee for the time and effort wasted.
We drank and talked for so long,
We started making plans for dinner...
The Sheperd: She was young and impressionable;
I pretedned to need directions.
She led me all over the campus
All the while, I'm asking her questions.
She agreed to a cup of coffee
That's when I startd to lay it on heavy
Once she learned I studied Dostoevsky, it was in the bag
You can't say I've done a disservice.
The girl, she's just a child.
She's got a lot to learn, and I'm helping out.
Your deceit is under your wing, you won't let her go
You know it's not appropriate-but all that hair...and porcelain.
You swear it's more than mere lust.
Into the fold.
If she knew what you do, the pristine routine to fool the rube.
The gentle gentleman, the loathed Lothario.
You feign you've changed your ways, but we know, yeah we know.
Can't you quell this need for submissives?
The Sheperd: Oh such lovely girls.
To lead each tender little lamb into the fold.
And you, my pet, "The Sweetest Yet"
I'll hold you closest to my heart
Into the fold
The Lamb: I was in the student union studying for an English quiz;
He came up and asked directions to the new auditorium.
We walked up and down the campus,
No one had ever heard of it.
He was so embarrassed when he realized he had the wrong college,
He offered to buy us coffee for the time and effort wasted.
We drank and talked for so long,
We started making plans for dinner...
The Sheperd: She was young and impressionable;
I pretedned to need directions.
She led me all over the campus
All the while, I'm asking her questions.
She agreed to a cup of coffee
That's when I startd to lay it on heavy
Once she learned I studied Dostoevsky, it was in the bag
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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Best song from the new album, seriously. I can't stop hearing this song on repeat. Especially when the girls voice cuts in about the student.
confirming "english quiz"
from the sound of the song it tells both sides of a story, Tim singing the guy's side, and her singing how shit happend.
to lead each tender "Little lamb" "English Class" don't ask me when they both start singing.
"I was in the student union, Studying for an english class. He came up and asked directions To the new auditorium."
I believe that's correct. I can't make anything up after that though.
"I was in the student union, Studying for an english class. He came up and asked directions To the new auditorium."
I believe that's correct. I can't make anything up after that though.
"I was in the student union, studying for an english quiz. He came up and asked directions to the new auditorium."
Pretty sure its "quiz" and not "class."
i hear this... but i could be wrong...
I cant say I've always been honest You can't say i've done a disservice girl. She's just a child... She's got a lot to learn. I'm helping out Your deceit is under your wing, You won't let her go. You know it's not appropriate. Into the fold, into the fold. Where all that hem and porcelain You swear it's more than mere lust. Into the fold, into the fold. It rips you up, what you do, The pristine routine, to fool the room. The gentle gentle movement of euphoria. You feign you change your ways but we know, yeah we know. Can't you can't quell this need for submissives. Oh such lovely girls, to eat each tender little lamb, Into the fold, into the fold. And you my pet, the sweetest yet I'll hold you closest to my heart Into the fold, into the fold Into the fold, into the fold Into the fold...
i was in student union studying for an english quiz. he came up and asked directions to new auditorium she was young and impressionable, i pretended to need directions. she led me all over the campus, all the while i'm asking her questions. she answered over four cups of coffee. that's when i started to lay it on heavy, ???
twelfth hymn a lecherous shepard
To me, the last line sounds like something like "started to make plans for dinner" or "lambs for dinner"
and instead of "i led him around the campus" I think it's "we walked up and down the campus"
the words get lost in the mix, but I'll be trying to figure the rest out
Wrong: "It rips you up, what you do, The pristine routine to fool the room. The gentle gentle movement of euphoria."
Right: "if she knew what you do the pristine routine to fool the room the gentle gentleman, the lone lothario"
The last line sung by the girl is "[started making] plans for dinner."
Her first part is: "i was in the student union studying for an english quiz he came up and asked directions to the new auditorium we walked up and down the campus [not sure what she says in this line] he was so embarassed when he realized he had [unsure]"
It sounds to me like Tim says something about Dostoevsky at the end of the song, which may make sense since there is suspsicion that Dostoevsky raped a young girl. Alternatively, the song might be making a reference to Svidrigailov in Crime and Punishment, who has a dream of a similar theme.