"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.
Oh, say goodbye to the little girl tree
Oh, you know that I must say goodbye
To the little girl tree
This wall I built around you
Is made out of stone lies
Oh, little girl the truth would be
An axe in thee
Father look to your daughter
A brick of grief and stricken mortar
With this ring
This silver hoop of wire
I bind your maiden mainstem
Just to keep you as a child
Oh, say goodbye to the little girl tree
Yes, you know that I must say goodbye
To my little girl tree
How fast your candy bones
Reached out for me
I must say goodbye to your brittle bones
Crying out for me
Oh, you know that I must say goodbye
Oh, goodbye
Even though you will betray me
The very minute that I leave
Oh, say goodbye to the little girl tree
Oh Lord, you know that I must say goodbye
To that little girl tree
I rise up her girl-child lumps and slipping knots
Into your laden boughs
And amongst her roping limbs
Like a swollen neck vein branching
Into lesser, smaller veins
That must all just sing and say goodbye
And let her blossom veils fly
Her velvet gown
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down and goodbye
For you know that I must say goodbye
To a rhythm softly tortured
Of a motion back and forth
That's a rhythm sweetly tortured
Oh, that's the rhythm of the orchard
And you know that I must say goodbye
To the little girl tree
Oh, goodbye
Yeah, goodbye
For you know that I must die
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down and goodbye
For you know that I must die
Yes, you know that I must die
Oh, you know that I must die
Lord, you know that I must die
Oh, you know that I must say goodbye
To the little girl tree
This wall I built around you
Is made out of stone lies
Oh, little girl the truth would be
An axe in thee
Father look to your daughter
A brick of grief and stricken mortar
With this ring
This silver hoop of wire
I bind your maiden mainstem
Just to keep you as a child
Oh, say goodbye to the little girl tree
Yes, you know that I must say goodbye
To my little girl tree
How fast your candy bones
Reached out for me
I must say goodbye to your brittle bones
Crying out for me
Oh, you know that I must say goodbye
Oh, goodbye
Even though you will betray me
The very minute that I leave
Oh, say goodbye to the little girl tree
Oh Lord, you know that I must say goodbye
To that little girl tree
I rise up her girl-child lumps and slipping knots
Into your laden boughs
And amongst her roping limbs
Like a swollen neck vein branching
Into lesser, smaller veins
That must all just sing and say goodbye
And let her blossom veils fly
Her velvet gown
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down and goodbye
For you know that I must say goodbye
To a rhythm softly tortured
Of a motion back and forth
That's a rhythm sweetly tortured
Oh, that's the rhythm of the orchard
And you know that I must say goodbye
To the little girl tree
Oh, goodbye
Yeah, goodbye
For you know that I must die
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down
Down, down, down and goodbye
For you know that I must die
Yes, you know that I must die
Oh, you know that I must die
Lord, you know that I must die
Lyrics submitted by Dressed2Depress, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Say Goodbye to the Little Girl Tree Lyrics as written by Nick Cave Mick Harvey
Lyrics © Mute Song Limited
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Bee Gees
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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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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Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
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.
Great version of a great song,
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.
sowing seeds of sex and death. Mr. Cave's specialty.