"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.
You and I are like oil and water
And we've been trying, trying, trying
Oh, to mix it up
We've been dancing on a volcano
And we've been crying, crying, crying
Over blackened soles
Babe, this wouldn't be the first time
It will not be the last time
There is no parasol that could shelter this weather
I've been smiling with anchors on my shoulders
And I've been dying, dying, dying
Oh, to let them go
Babe, this wouldn't be the first time
It will not be the last time
There is no parasol that could shelter this weather
Babe, this wouldn't be the first time
Will not be the last time
We were trying to believe everything would get better
We've been lying to each other
Hey, babe! Let's just call it, call it, call it
Oh, what it is
Oil and water
Oil and water
Oil and water
Oil
And we've been trying, trying, trying
Oh, to mix it up
We've been dancing on a volcano
And we've been crying, crying, crying
Over blackened soles
Babe, this wouldn't be the first time
It will not be the last time
There is no parasol that could shelter this weather
I've been smiling with anchors on my shoulders
And I've been dying, dying, dying
Oh, to let them go
Babe, this wouldn't be the first time
It will not be the last time
There is no parasol that could shelter this weather
Babe, this wouldn't be the first time
Will not be the last time
We were trying to believe everything would get better
We've been lying to each other
Hey, babe! Let's just call it, call it, call it
Oh, what it is
Oil and water
Oil and water
Oil and water
Oil
Lyrics submitted by MakeYourSelf101
Oil and Water Lyrics as written by Brandon Charles Boyd Benjamin Lee Kenney
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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The Night We Met
Lord Huron
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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"
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."
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.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Let's just call it, what it is. Oil and water.
To me, it's not about a relationship that doesn't work; it's about one that WILL work because of this open acknowledgment of differences and obstacles. Totally gorgeous.
I can't say that I completely agree with this interpretation. However, I think this is a really cool and optimistic look at the song. Thanks for the comment. Very enlightening.
jewy you just blew my mind. <br /> <br /> "Babe this wouldn't be the first time<br /> It will not be the last time"<br /> <br /> this would seem to strengthen your argument, but then he goes on to say:<br /> <br /> "we tried to believe everything would get better"
I think this song is about humanity, just as I see Light Grenades as being. (you can go check my post there)
We build cities by volcanoes then cry when people die, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? It is saying disasters happen but we lie to our selves that everything is alright and no one is going to die, but frankly, shit happens and we can't protect our selves from everything. The soul of humanity tries to shelter its self from problems. It's happened before and it will happen again.
Also.. mixing oil and water, it seems that oil has become more important to us than water sometimes.
Again I doubt anyone checks these but I wanted to comment...
First off I think it is pretty basic in regards to what it is about. I think it is clearly about a failing relationship, at the point where they compare themselves to Oil and Water, which will never be able to mix no matter what. They keep trying, but realize they are just lying to each other, so they decide to call it what it is... Oil and Water... HOWEVER, the very next song is Diamonds and Coal, which I find very interesting, because that song is about how PRESSURE transforms COAL into a DIAMOND. The song even says inspire of this we're doing just fine, even diamonds start as coal. Give us time to shine. SO I am thinking that Oil and Water, was the couple accepting the fact that they have issues, and they may not mix, BUT because they called it what it is, and accepted it they were able to move past their differences and build around it. So in spite of it, they are doing fine, and turning their COAL of a relationship into a Diamond.
@TullyPoops could it possibly be that opposites attract?? That is couple may have nothing (so it seems) in common "oil and water" but that perhaps opposites do attract "diamonds and coal"???<br /> <br /> I like you interpretation and thoughts ... so doubt no longer :)
Hands down best song on the new CD
I agree.
I would have to agree as well
Yeah, I think so too, that's why I thought I should post lyrics. Some of the words I couldn't understand clearly so feel free to correct.
This is an awesome, awesome song!! Just a few corrections, though: I think it's "OVER blackened souls" instead of "the blackened souls" and "there is no PARASOL" instead of "no better soul" and "I've been smiling with ANCHORS on my shoulders" instead of "smiling with birds on my shoulders"
Yeah this is the best song on the album, followed closely by Diamonds and Coal.
aceite y agua