"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.
I never play with guns
she got a compact mirror
stole it off her mother
she got her daddy's overnight traveling bag
always been told "if you wanna leave home honey, you ain't ever, ever welcome back"
and now she's down at the station, baby in her belly
kickin' gentle momma chilled to the max
she got a one way ticket, goin'cross the border
for her hopes and all her dreams
rollin down the train tracks, yeah
how can I protect you in this crazy world?
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
from two to nine you work for five-a-dime
start the night with some thunderbird wine
praise the lord for those neon lights that'a
keep the city burnin' bright all night
walkin' in the park in the midnight rain
swear to yourself that ya gonna change
ain't gonna crash, ain't gonna burn, ain't gonna take no wrong turn
feel so alone, so you telephone, ya
call collect ain't nobody home
you ain't suprised though you wonder why your letters come back unopened
so you hit the strip with your freak flag high an'
forget about the tears in your daddy's eyes
momma don't worry if the waters rise
don't ever let my drink run dry till the sunshine
how can I protect you in this crazy world?
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
and when the talkin's over
there's nothing left I can do
how'm I ever gonna get through to you?
let the angels be the navigators
the devil will get there on his own
let the cherubin
let the serafin
keep you walkin on the road back home, yeah
how can I protect you?
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
how can I protect you in this crazy world?
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
how can I protect you in this crazy world?
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
she got a compact mirror
stole it off her mother
she got her daddy's overnight traveling bag
always been told "if you wanna leave home honey, you ain't ever, ever welcome back"
and now she's down at the station, baby in her belly
kickin' gentle momma chilled to the max
she got a one way ticket, goin'cross the border
for her hopes and all her dreams
rollin down the train tracks, yeah
how can I protect you in this crazy world?
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
from two to nine you work for five-a-dime
start the night with some thunderbird wine
praise the lord for those neon lights that'a
keep the city burnin' bright all night
walkin' in the park in the midnight rain
swear to yourself that ya gonna change
ain't gonna crash, ain't gonna burn, ain't gonna take no wrong turn
feel so alone, so you telephone, ya
call collect ain't nobody home
you ain't suprised though you wonder why your letters come back unopened
so you hit the strip with your freak flag high an'
forget about the tears in your daddy's eyes
momma don't worry if the waters rise
don't ever let my drink run dry till the sunshine
how can I protect you in this crazy world?
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
and when the talkin's over
there's nothing left I can do
how'm I ever gonna get through to you?
let the angels be the navigators
the devil will get there on his own
let the cherubin
let the serafin
keep you walkin on the road back home, yeah
how can I protect you?
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
how can I protect you in this crazy world?
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
how can I protect you in this crazy world?
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
it's alright
yeah
it's alright
Lyrics submitted by Foggs
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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,
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.