"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.
It took too long
It took too long
It took to long for you to call back
And normally I would just forget that
Except for the fact it was my birthday
My stupid birthday
I played along
I played along
I played along it rolled right off my back
But obviously my armor was cracked
What kind of boyfriend would forget that?
Who would forget that?
The type of guy who doesn't see
What he has until she leaves
Don't let me go
'Cause without me, you know you're lost
Wise up now or pay the cost
Soon you will know
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' with me
You're not winnin' till you're winnin'
Winnin' me
You're not gettin' till you're gettin'
Gettin' me
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' for me
This is the potential breakup song
Our album needs just one
Oh baby please
Please tell me
We got along
We got along
We got along until you did that
Now all I want is just my stuff back
Do you get that?
Let me repeat that
I want my stuff back
You can send it in a box
I don't care just drop it off
I won't be home
'Cause without me, you know you're lost
Minus you I'm better off
Soon you will know
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' with me
You're not winnin' till you're winnin'
Winnin' me
You're not gettin' till you're gettin'
Gettin' me
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' for me
You can try, you can try
You know I know it'd be a lie
Without me you're gonna die
So you better think clearly, clearly
Before you nearly, nearly
Mess up the situation that your gonna miss dearly, dearly
C'mon
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' with me
You're not winnin' till you're winnin'
Winnin' me
You're not gettin' till you're gettin'
Gettin' me
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' for me
This is the potential breakup song
Our album needs just one
Oh baby please
Please tell me
This is the potential makeup song
Please just admit you're wrong
Which will it be?
Which will it be?
It took too long
It took to long for you to call back
And normally I would just forget that
Except for the fact it was my birthday
My stupid birthday
I played along
I played along
I played along it rolled right off my back
But obviously my armor was cracked
What kind of boyfriend would forget that?
Who would forget that?
The type of guy who doesn't see
What he has until she leaves
Don't let me go
'Cause without me, you know you're lost
Wise up now or pay the cost
Soon you will know
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' with me
You're not winnin' till you're winnin'
Winnin' me
You're not gettin' till you're gettin'
Gettin' me
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' for me
This is the potential breakup song
Our album needs just one
Oh baby please
Please tell me
We got along
We got along
We got along until you did that
Now all I want is just my stuff back
Do you get that?
Let me repeat that
I want my stuff back
You can send it in a box
I don't care just drop it off
I won't be home
'Cause without me, you know you're lost
Minus you I'm better off
Soon you will know
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' with me
You're not winnin' till you're winnin'
Winnin' me
You're not gettin' till you're gettin'
Gettin' me
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' for me
You can try, you can try
You know I know it'd be a lie
Without me you're gonna die
So you better think clearly, clearly
Before you nearly, nearly
Mess up the situation that your gonna miss dearly, dearly
C'mon
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' with me
You're not winnin' till you're winnin'
Winnin' me
You're not gettin' till you're gettin'
Gettin' me
You're not livin' till you're livin'
Livin' for me
This is the potential breakup song
Our album needs just one
Oh baby please
Please tell me
This is the potential makeup song
Please just admit you're wrong
Which will it be?
Which will it be?
Lyrics submitted by XchelsatthediscoX
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
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.
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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I love this song! Can't wait for the new cd. Aly and AJ are awesomeeee.