"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.
She makes me stumble
Out of this skin
To fight the trouble
The shakes in my head
And my heart keeps its hurry
Leaving me behind
While the worry she's brought is stalled in my mind
The trouble I found
It's not only just in me
We've all got it somehow,
Somewhere, well no else to see
We suffer up off the ground
'Cause we all have our things
You know that I always, always listen when you speak
To the trouble in me
She has her dreams
And black across her arms
She says that she's off dragging
They remind her of just how far
She makes me think
That we don't know who we are
You just found someone to hold you from coming apart
The trouble I found
It's not only just in me
We've all got it somehow,
Somewhere, well no else to see
We suffer up off the ground
'Cause we all have our things
You know that I always, always listen when you speak
To the trouble in me
You can't turn it off
It's right there in your eyes
My room got so small
How did you get me right?
And I can be so wrong, so wrong now
The trouble I found
It's not only just in me
We've all got it somehow,
Somewhere, well no else to see
We suffer up off the ground
'Cause we all have our things
You know that I always, always listen when you speak
To the trouble in me
Out of this skin
To fight the trouble
The shakes in my head
And my heart keeps its hurry
Leaving me behind
While the worry she's brought is stalled in my mind
The trouble I found
It's not only just in me
We've all got it somehow,
Somewhere, well no else to see
We suffer up off the ground
'Cause we all have our things
You know that I always, always listen when you speak
To the trouble in me
She has her dreams
And black across her arms
She says that she's off dragging
They remind her of just how far
She makes me think
That we don't know who we are
You just found someone to hold you from coming apart
The trouble I found
It's not only just in me
We've all got it somehow,
Somewhere, well no else to see
We suffer up off the ground
'Cause we all have our things
You know that I always, always listen when you speak
To the trouble in me
You can't turn it off
It's right there in your eyes
My room got so small
How did you get me right?
And I can be so wrong, so wrong now
The trouble I found
It's not only just in me
We've all got it somehow,
Somewhere, well no else to see
We suffer up off the ground
'Cause we all have our things
You know that I always, always listen when you speak
To the trouble in me
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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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,
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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
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Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.