"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.
If you were there, beware the serpent soul pinchers
Three-hundred and fifty "No, thank you"s and nobody flinches
Go on, girl, go on, give us something gruesome
We require your grief, the thugs help the thieves
As they're trying to rob the words from her gob and
Take the source of the innocence
If you were there, beware the serpent soul pinchers
Can't you sense she was never meant to fill column inches
Ain't you had enough? What you're trying to dig up
Isn't there to be dug, the thieves help the thugs
As they're trying to beat the good grace of a sweetheart
Out to the point she'll comply
And why leave her on her own?
If I'd have known then I wouldn't have said it
I wouldn't have said it if I would have known
Why leave her on her own?
If I predicted tears then I wouldn't have said it
I wouldn't have said it if I would have known
There's a circle of witches, ambitiously vicious they are
Our attempts to remind them of reason won't get us that far
But I don't know what it is that they want
I don't know what it is that they want
But I haven't got it to give
And she hasn't got it to give
Three-hundred and fifty "No, thank you"s and nobody flinches
Go on, girl, go on, give us something gruesome
We require your grief, the thugs help the thieves
As they're trying to rob the words from her gob and
Take the source of the innocence
If you were there, beware the serpent soul pinchers
Can't you sense she was never meant to fill column inches
Ain't you had enough? What you're trying to dig up
Isn't there to be dug, the thieves help the thugs
As they're trying to beat the good grace of a sweetheart
Out to the point she'll comply
And why leave her on her own?
If I'd have known then I wouldn't have said it
I wouldn't have said it if I would have known
Why leave her on her own?
If I predicted tears then I wouldn't have said it
I wouldn't have said it if I would have known
There's a circle of witches, ambitiously vicious they are
Our attempts to remind them of reason won't get us that far
But I don't know what it is that they want
I don't know what it is that they want
But I haven't got it to give
And she hasn't got it to give
Lyrics submitted by woulduhvtheguts
If You Were There, Beware Lyrics as written by Alex Turner
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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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,
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I think this song is about the girl in mardy bum and how the sun tracked her down and hasselled her for her story as they do; even though she "was never meant to fill column inches". Something alex feels guilty about for writing mardy bum in the first place... "if i'd have predicted tears then i wouldn't have said it."
the lyrics are wrong :)
"The thugs help the thieves as they're trying to rob the words from her gob and take the swords to the innocence"
"Can't you sense she was never meant to fill column inches Haven’t you had enough, what you're trying to dig up isn't there to be dug"
"The thieves help the thugs as they're trying to beat the good grace of a sweetheart out to the point she'll comply"
"Why? Leave her on her own, if I'd have known, I wouldn't have said it, I wouldn't have said it, if I would have known x2"
and yeah it about the press. alex's ex gf got quite a bit of hassle off em
Oh wow! i'm the first to analyse! awesome! Well i'm pretty sure it's about journalists trying to find a story in nothing, and getting stupid made up quotes from people who once knew someone famous. This one sounds like it's an ex girlfriend they're trying to get info out of... I think there may be an error: "As they're trying to be the digger graves of her sweet Heart and to the point she'll comply" Would make more sense as 'trying to beat the good grace out of a sweetheart to the point she'll comply" I really like this song!
This song is about loss of innocence through manipluating a young girls thought process to adjust to her boyfriends but he remembers that he can't...
does anyone else think that the line "there's a circle of witches ambitiously vicious they are" is a reference to macbeth?!
This is such a beautiful song! A lot of their more thought provoking songs make me think about the death of love, the loss of innocence, and the uncaringness of youth today. And that's exactly what this song makes me think of.
He seems to be saying it's a cruel world, where snakes are just waiting to get a piece of an innocent girl's soul. Everything is business as usual "three hundred and fifty, no thank you's and nobody flinches". And of course, the bad guys are on the same team. They're hounding her to make her say what they want to hear until she's lost her grace. Now another innocent is corrupted.
And it seems that things wouldn't need to be so bad if everyone was reasonable, but that doesn't matter they're "ambitiously vicious" and will do anything to get what they want. And the fact that he says neither of them have it, makes me think that they just want their misery, which is really what those "serpent soul pinchers" are--happiness haters. I love when he says "and whyyyyy leave her on herrrrr oooown"
British tabloid press?
oops sorry i wasn't the first...didn't see you there
I'm sure it's: 'The thugs help the thieves'
,tAn-x was right: "The thieves help the thugs as they're trying to beat the good grace of a sweetheart out to the point she'll comply."
"Why? Leave her on her own, if I'd have known, I wouldn't have said it, I wouldn't have said it, if I would have known."
This, in my opinion, is definately one of the best songs on the album, together with 'Do Me A Favour'. The meaning is clear so I thought I'd just say that.