"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.
All right, all right already you got me
Broke inside and took it all away
Had a speech prepared and everything
Tapped phone calls from God
And now I've found a new connection
Being bored is really such a chore
Some of us out here don't know shit
Some of us don't even want to know
Clearly this is my life
There goes, there goes, there goes my outfit
And I was only trying to help
I was only trying to help
Just admit, I've got you by the lapels
They trashed me over over and again
You stood there and you said nothing
That's what shattered my heart to bits
Clearly this isn't my life
I'm in the dirt and in the gutter
I've got mud and blood all over my face
Clearly this isn't my life
There goes, there goes, there goes, there goes my outfit
And I was only trying to help
Clearly this isn't my life
Clearly this can't be my life
Broke inside and took it all away
Had a speech prepared and everything
Tapped phone calls from God
And now I've found a new connection
Being bored is really such a chore
Some of us out here don't know shit
Some of us don't even want to know
Clearly this is my life
There goes, there goes, there goes my outfit
And I was only trying to help
I was only trying to help
Just admit, I've got you by the lapels
They trashed me over over and again
You stood there and you said nothing
That's what shattered my heart to bits
Clearly this isn't my life
I'm in the dirt and in the gutter
I've got mud and blood all over my face
Clearly this isn't my life
There goes, there goes, there goes, there goes my outfit
And I was only trying to help
Clearly this isn't my life
Clearly this can't be my life
Lyrics submitted by 735513
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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.
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.
I LIKE THIS SONG SO MUCH :] i get a warm feeling inside.
but i dont really know what it means exactly :[
This really is an amazing song. I see it as he is talking about a girl who has just ended their relationship and he can't understand why and he can't accept it. "You stood there and you said nothing That's what shattered my heart to bits", thats what happened and then he says "I'm in the dirt and in the gutter", so he's depressed and feeling alone. He keeps saying "clearly this isn't my life" and it's like he's denying the whole thing, and its so hard for him to accept because he loved her.
i don't know... thats just what i see
I feel this song is about a relationship. Im going to say an intimate/significant other type not just a friendship.
Anyways, I think outfit is a metaphor for the persons reputation. "There goes, there goes, there goes my outfit" There goes my reputation..
That is why he says, "I'm in the dirt and in the gutter I've got mud and blood all over my face" because the person has not defended the other and their ego/reputation (outfit) is tarnished.
Maybe I am reading into in too much haha
anyhow, they are broken because the person they love and are with has not defended them and it just broke their heart and they do not understand why. They know they are in this situation but at the same time can not believe it. Did noo see it coming. If I am even a bit correct
to me this song isn't about a romantic relationship, so much as a tight bond that was ruined when someone was betrayed and abandoned, and this is the confrontation as a result. there goes my outfit is like military jargon, there's my new social group or unit, like both people have moved on but one person had come face to face with their former friend and is asking "why didn't you speak up, why didn't you help me?!" clearly there was some expectation of support, and none was given, and it's split these two apart.
I think the first half is them meeting again, and the speaker is beating around the bush, and the approached asks "ok what is it?" which is where you get the 'alright, you've got me, no small talk, had a speech ready, but lets get down to it.' They do a little catching up, and then he lays it out there "You left me there and didn't stand by me and it broke my heart." He doesn't even demand an apology or an explanation, he just wants his friend to admit what happened, and then he's going to go off to his new life with his new 'outfit' of friends.
ah, it's also possible that the first half is the betrayer approaching the betrayed, and the second half is the betrayed getting upset at his former friend trying to make amends. grabbing him by the lapel and telling him what he thinks of him. While the betrayer is saying 'this is my current life', the abandoned friend is saying, in contrast, there goes my former life, like perhaps a mirroring situation. Cut off from the people he trusted, abandoned and undefended by his truest friend, left to be abused and bloodied. It seems to me to be a song about a break up, but between former comrades.
youtube.com/watch
Link to Murray´s explanation!