"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.
In a garden in a hand
Lies a key to shadowland
You're far from feeling strong
[The worst begins]
In the sediments of life
In the comfort of a knife
You hold your breath
And pray to God it won't take long
And you wonder where the rainbow ends
With its autumn setting sun
There's a way from it all
Though the chances are small
We'll come back again
Won't you think it over
Life is a pendulous fall
But maybe worth the pain
And soon enough we'll go
Where nobody can touch us
Like a mother you were aimed
And you gave her what she claimed
Just like a good old friend
In the abyss of the mind
You found all there is to find
But we all have broken hearts to mend
And you wonder where the rainbow ends
With its autumn setting sun
There's a way from it all
Though the chances are small
We'll come back again
Won't you think it over
Life is a pendulous fall
But maybe worth the pain
And soon enough we'll go
Where nobody can touch us
Lies a key to shadowland
You're far from feeling strong
[The worst begins]
In the sediments of life
In the comfort of a knife
You hold your breath
And pray to God it won't take long
And you wonder where the rainbow ends
With its autumn setting sun
There's a way from it all
Though the chances are small
We'll come back again
Won't you think it over
Life is a pendulous fall
But maybe worth the pain
And soon enough we'll go
Where nobody can touch us
Like a mother you were aimed
And you gave her what she claimed
Just like a good old friend
In the abyss of the mind
You found all there is to find
But we all have broken hearts to mend
And you wonder where the rainbow ends
With its autumn setting sun
There's a way from it all
Though the chances are small
We'll come back again
Won't you think it over
Life is a pendulous fall
But maybe worth the pain
And soon enough we'll go
Where nobody can touch us
Lyrics submitted by deathazre
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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.
First of all, I must agree with justliveit05. However, I have a different interpretation of the songs:
I think the first verse is talking about a person, who is considering suicide because they say, "And you pray to God it won't take long." They don't want to have any pain while they die. The next bit is probably them wondering where their happiness ends, since rainbows are supposed to be pretty and happy and such. Either that or as justliveit05 said, they're talking about their life and their hoping that at the end they'll find a pot of gold.
The chorus seems to be this persons compainion singing, though that's what it is pretty much the entire song, but anyways, they're trying to convince them that it would be better if they tried to live through the pain. They tell them that even though life is painful it's worth it to be alive. The last bit though I think they're saying that in the end they'll "go where nobody can touch" them. I think this means that in the end, they're going to go live elsewhere because where they're living right now they're not happy and people are hurting them. This made me think they're teenagers and they're in love, but they aren't eighteen yet so they can't leave the home where everything is going wrong.
The next verse I think they are talking about the same person as they were in the first two verses only this time I'm not exactly sure what they mean with the first two lines, but with the last two I think they mean that in their mind they know that things are going really bad and so they just want to end it, but then their companion tells them that they all are broken hearted and killing themself won't really make everything better it'll just make everything worse.
Then there's the chorus, but with a slight change: "where the world must have begun" and again I like justliveit05's comment about the garden of eden, which was supposed to be a very happy place. I think they're companion is telling them life can be happy if they really want it to be.
Then there is the chorus again and I think this time the person decides screw it and kills themself. Either that or they go and live with the one they love away from all the people who have hurt them in the past.