"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.
These crazy times
Up on my mind
We gotta change
Maintain
Hey, Mr. President
Could you pay my rent
Good God, just look at us
What the fuck
Excuse me, Sir
Could I have a word
Do you think she’s nice
200 dollars for the night
We’re trying to get by
And keep our dreams alive
One day it’ll all make sense
And we won’t have to live like this
But we gotta believe in who we are
And we gotta believe in shiny cars
And we gotta believe in superstars, planet mars, blah, blah, blah
Chorus:
California, California, California, cry for me (4x)
Don’t mind what I do
Cause it ain’t about you
Got bills to pay
Gonna do my thing
Hey mister, need a bag?
Don’t look so sad
One day it’ll all make sense
And we won’t have to live like this
But we gotta believe in who we are
And we gotta believe in shiny cars
And we gotta believe in superstars, planet mars, blah, blah, blah
Chorus:
California, California, California, cry for me (4x)
One day you’re gonna wake up and you’re gonna see the sunshine all on me (3X)
One day you’re gonna wake up, you’re gonna wake, you’re gonna wake up and see
California, California, California, cry for me (4x)
We’re riding bicycles down Queen St.
With 6 string guitars strapped on in the 8 o’clock heat
We do what we gotta do to get by
We live our lives and never have to compromise
Up on my mind
We gotta change
Maintain
Hey, Mr. President
Could you pay my rent
Good God, just look at us
What the fuck
Excuse me, Sir
Could I have a word
Do you think she’s nice
200 dollars for the night
We’re trying to get by
And keep our dreams alive
One day it’ll all make sense
And we won’t have to live like this
But we gotta believe in who we are
And we gotta believe in shiny cars
And we gotta believe in superstars, planet mars, blah, blah, blah
Chorus:
California, California, California, cry for me (4x)
Don’t mind what I do
Cause it ain’t about you
Got bills to pay
Gonna do my thing
Hey mister, need a bag?
Don’t look so sad
One day it’ll all make sense
And we won’t have to live like this
But we gotta believe in who we are
And we gotta believe in shiny cars
And we gotta believe in superstars, planet mars, blah, blah, blah
Chorus:
California, California, California, cry for me (4x)
One day you’re gonna wake up and you’re gonna see the sunshine all on me (3X)
One day you’re gonna wake up, you’re gonna wake, you’re gonna wake up and see
California, California, California, cry for me (4x)
We’re riding bicycles down Queen St.
With 6 string guitars strapped on in the 8 o’clock heat
We do what we gotta do to get by
We live our lives and never have to compromise
Lyrics submitted by frontside
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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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.
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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,
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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.
Page
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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.
Roz bell is so cool :D Anyway, I think that this song is kind of about someone struggle in the music industry and getting noticed and stuff