"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.
The smiles as she walked in the room
Have all turned into frowns am I too quick to assume
That the love is no longer in bloom?
The tantrums and the tears play a very different tune
To what they did before, her heads red raw
And the ending doesn't sound like they're happiest around
When you sobbed before it felt much more like the product of a squabble
Now there's reason for it to be something more
And no would be, oh, it's uncertain
Whether the curtain has shut for good
She says, "see if it's still raining
I'm not dressed for it and if you loved me"
And I interrupt to receive the scowl and stare
But still decided to stop her there
Would it be outrageous to say
We're either shouting or we're shagging?
Locked in tempestuous phase
At least that's how we felt yesterday
The eyes are getting heavier and whether you're asleep or awake is a mystery
Would a kiss be too much to ask?
When you fit me as sunday's frozen pitch
Fits the thermos flask
It's a pity, it just hit me, we can't go back
To the chest touching on the back
Have all turned into frowns am I too quick to assume
That the love is no longer in bloom?
The tantrums and the tears play a very different tune
To what they did before, her heads red raw
And the ending doesn't sound like they're happiest around
When you sobbed before it felt much more like the product of a squabble
Now there's reason for it to be something more
And no would be, oh, it's uncertain
Whether the curtain has shut for good
She says, "see if it's still raining
I'm not dressed for it and if you loved me"
And I interrupt to receive the scowl and stare
But still decided to stop her there
Would it be outrageous to say
We're either shouting or we're shagging?
Locked in tempestuous phase
At least that's how we felt yesterday
The eyes are getting heavier and whether you're asleep or awake is a mystery
Would a kiss be too much to ask?
When you fit me as sunday's frozen pitch
Fits the thermos flask
It's a pity, it just hit me, we can't go back
To the chest touching on the back
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
i absolutely love this song, extremely dark. This is deffinately one of there best songs, and , as ussual with this band (bigger boys and stolen sweethearts, settle for a draw, Temptation greets you like a naughty friend, the bakery.) , its destined only to be a b side. love the guitars on this song, make it sond like it should be bieng played in some shady pub in the eighties. Anyway, on to what I think its about. To be honest some of it has stumped me (When you fit me, as sundays frozen pitch FITS the thermos flask?!?!) anyway I think its about a couple who are locked in constant argument-sex cycle(we're either shouting or we're shagging), as with most couples comming to an end. Anyway it's told from the point of view of one of the couple, telling us about how he feels about the relationship, and he comes to realise throughout the song that the relationship can't go on, even though he obviously want's it to. Allthough he is not certain at first (Its uncertain whether the curtain has shut for good) The last 2 lines is the narrator making this finall realisation. (Its just hit me, we can't go back, to the chest touching on the back) which litterally about how they started out, in love, as cudlling someone from behind is a sign of great affection. I think alex has summed up haw many people feel in relationships that they want to stay in even though they know its immpossible. Great song and mind blowing lyrics