"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.
Down hearted man, where do you come from?
You're troubled by the world and your situation
How can you justify what's so clear in your eyes?
The operator is gone
Through all your contemplation you still don't understand
That the plight of your life was built by your own hands
How can you navigate the maze of your medicated haze?
While the operator is gone
You've got a cure for your disease
Growing in your backyard
You've got the answers that you need
Right up in your backyard
Downtrodden man, how do you feel right?
You only complicate it with your western made sight
How can you justify what's so clear in your eyes?
That you don't wanna go on
Through all your contemplation you haven't found a way
To your own salvation, the start of a new day
I know you feel the pain as you walk alone
And you just wanna go home
So think of your true self, break it down
Remember there's still hope that can be found
Hold onto the dream that once was so clear
And let go of your fear
Realize that this is one train you can't get off
Your dependency grows as your mind gets soft
Unlock the doors and let your soul back in
And wake up, wake up, wake up
You're troubled by the world and your situation
How can you justify what's so clear in your eyes?
The operator is gone
Through all your contemplation you still don't understand
That the plight of your life was built by your own hands
How can you navigate the maze of your medicated haze?
While the operator is gone
You've got a cure for your disease
Growing in your backyard
You've got the answers that you need
Right up in your backyard
Downtrodden man, how do you feel right?
You only complicate it with your western made sight
How can you justify what's so clear in your eyes?
That you don't wanna go on
Through all your contemplation you haven't found a way
To your own salvation, the start of a new day
I know you feel the pain as you walk alone
And you just wanna go home
So think of your true self, break it down
Remember there's still hope that can be found
Hold onto the dream that once was so clear
And let go of your fear
Realize that this is one train you can't get off
Your dependency grows as your mind gets soft
Unlock the doors and let your soul back in
And wake up, wake up, wake up
Lyrics submitted by punkpirate
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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."
Gentle Hour
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,
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
It can go one of two ways... but I think either way, it's about weed.
Some guy who is self-medicating (with the stuff that's growing in his back yard) "How can you navigate the maze of your medicated haze?" is fucking up his life and needs to end the addiction. "Your dependency grows as your mind gets soft Unlock the doors and let your soul back in And wake up, wake up, wake up"
It's a claim that prescription medication is as bad or worse than weed. The chorus seems to suggest this, and this jab they took at western society... "You only complicate it with your western made sight How can you justify what's so clear in your eyes?"
In the first case, however, the chorus could be a statement of denial, as in "this stuff in my back yard is all I need, I don't have a problem". Either way, there's some truth in the song.
anyway, the caddies rock, they can do no wrong.