"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 used to talk to me like
I was the only one around
You used to lean on me
The only other choice was falling down
You used to walk with me like
We had nowhere we needed to go
Nice and slow
To no place in particular
We used to have this figured out
We used to breathe without a doubt
When nights were clear, you were the first star that I'd see
We used to have this under control
We never thought we used to know
At least there's you
And at least there's me
Can we get this back
Can we get this back
To how it used to be?
I used to reach for you when
I got lost along the way
I used to listen
You always had the just right thing to say
I used to follow you
Never really cared where we would go
Fast or slow
To anywhere at all
We used to have this figured out
We used to breathe without a doubt
The nights were clear for the first time that I'd see
We used to have this under control
We never thought we used to know
At least there's you
And at least there's me
Can we get this back
Can we get this back
To how it used to be?
I look around me
And I want you to be there
'Cause I miss the things that we shared
Look around you
It's empty, and you're sad
'Cause you miss the love that we had
You used to talk to me like
I was the only one around
The only one around
We used to have this figured out
We used to breathe without a doubt
The nights were clear for the first time that I'd see
We used to have this under control
We never thought we used to know
At least there's you
And at least there's me
Can we get this back
Can we get this back
To how it used to be? Yeah
To how it used to be
To how it used to be, yeah
To how it used to be
To how it used to be
I was the only one around
You used to lean on me
The only other choice was falling down
You used to walk with me like
We had nowhere we needed to go
Nice and slow
To no place in particular
We used to have this figured out
We used to breathe without a doubt
When nights were clear, you were the first star that I'd see
We used to have this under control
We never thought we used to know
At least there's you
And at least there's me
Can we get this back
Can we get this back
To how it used to be?
I used to reach for you when
I got lost along the way
I used to listen
You always had the just right thing to say
I used to follow you
Never really cared where we would go
Fast or slow
To anywhere at all
We used to have this figured out
We used to breathe without a doubt
The nights were clear for the first time that I'd see
We used to have this under control
We never thought we used to know
At least there's you
And at least there's me
Can we get this back
Can we get this back
To how it used to be?
I look around me
And I want you to be there
'Cause I miss the things that we shared
Look around you
It's empty, and you're sad
'Cause you miss the love that we had
You used to talk to me like
I was the only one around
The only one around
We used to have this figured out
We used to breathe without a doubt
The nights were clear for the first time that I'd see
We used to have this under control
We never thought we used to know
At least there's you
And at least there's me
Can we get this back
Can we get this back
To how it used to be? Yeah
To how it used to be
To how it used to be, yeah
To how it used to be
To how it used to be
Lyrics submitted by xthatxkiddx
Used To Lyrics as written by Howard Benson Zac Maloy
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Mountain Song
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I Can't Go To Sleep
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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.
No Surprises
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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.
dude this song is the same for me. me n my girl of almost 3 years broke up a while ago because of my stupid ass and i totally regret it and i want her back so bad i want eveyrthing that we had back and the only reason it isnt back is because of her and this song says it perfectly i want to be eveyrthing i used to be to her but instead she turs the other way leaving me heart broken ... great song great band