"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.
Ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
All you used to do was put me down
But I found a way to pick myself up off the ground
And all you used to do was criticize me
But now I found the good and I emphasise, ya see
You would always get so sensitive
And try to turn your transgressions into my guiltiness
But now I'm certain of the way I live
And what I'm responsible for in this twisted game
And it's such a shame
That you try to make pain
Another word for my name
Whether giving or receiving
It's one the same
Just one more link
In your long-ass chain
But it's time to break
This frame and my strengthful will
Time to jump off this negative cycle we've built
Gave my heart
But my self-respection you won't steal
Now it's time to let ya know if you can hear me feel me
Ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
So I asked my mama for her two cents
And then I asked my little sister and I asked my friend
Then I asked my papa once and I asked him again
Came two little consensus from all them opinions
That life is too short to be unhappy
And since I know what I'm worth there'll be no settling for dirt
Knowing what I deserve is gold
If I want diamonds then I can't settle for coal
Maybe I was just too strong to let go
Maybe I was just too weak to let it show
Maybe I was just too stubborn to say "No"
But whatever the case I can't take it no more
Ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
Sometimes I think maybe we'll patch it all up
Like a favourite pair of jeans that you won't give up on
Or maybe one of these arguments will make up
And start again like when we started this up
Back when everything was fresh
And every moment a blessing
I'd laugh at all of your jokes
You'd listen to my suggestions
One mind, one soul,
With common decimation
Now we can't help but fight over the direction
ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
All you used to do was put me down
But I found a way to pick myself up off the ground
And all you used to do was criticize me
But now I found the good and I emphasise, ya see
You would always get so sensitive
And try to turn your transgressions into my guiltiness
But now I'm certain of the way I live
And what I'm responsible for in this twisted game
And it's such a shame
That you try to make pain
Another word for my name
Whether giving or receiving
It's one the same
Just one more link
In your long-ass chain
But it's time to break
This frame and my strengthful will
Time to jump off this negative cycle we've built
Gave my heart
But my self-respection you won't steal
Now it's time to let ya know if you can hear me feel me
Ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
So I asked my mama for her two cents
And then I asked my little sister and I asked my friend
Then I asked my papa once and I asked him again
Came two little consensus from all them opinions
That life is too short to be unhappy
And since I know what I'm worth there'll be no settling for dirt
Knowing what I deserve is gold
If I want diamonds then I can't settle for coal
Maybe I was just too strong to let go
Maybe I was just too weak to let it show
Maybe I was just too stubborn to say "No"
But whatever the case I can't take it no more
Ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
Ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
ah, ah ah, ah ah ah, ahhhh ah ah, ah ah ah
Sometimes I think maybe we'll patch it all up
Like a favourite pair of jeans that you won't give up on
Or maybe one of these arguments will make up
And start again like when we started this up
Back when everything was fresh
And every moment a blessing
I'd laugh at all of your jokes
You'd listen to my suggestions
One mind, one soul,
With common decimation
Now we can't help but fight over the direction
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
what are the lyrics with a womang singing near the end of the song? something like "give me back - you've got to. . ."??