"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.
Oh, the razor in your apple
The affection of your glove
The prison of your company
The snake oil of your love
The heights to which you drag me
Just to hurl your scorn
The trumpets play the livelong day
But they blow so forlorn
Did you hold the hand that held me down?
Did you laugh at my expense?
When there's rust upon your ragged crown
Who will stand at your defense?
And when I unveiled my weakness
On your rodeo of tears
You stood there so vacantly
Your fingers in your ears
And you left by the morning
With all that's left to steal
But every time you say farewell
There's breadcrumbs at your heels
Did you kiss the hand that held me down?
Was your kindness just pretense?
When there's no one left for you to clown
Who will stand at your defense?
But it's ashes, Lord, it's ashes
Soon we all fall down
You take your place among the saints
Make not a single sound
And the hills that held our childhood
The flowers grow there still
You lay beneath them, pushing weeds
And I guess you always will
Could you be the hand that held me down?
When I was sick with common sense
And now your statuettes are all torn down
There's no one left to lean against
And ever since your epitaph
Was spattered on my wall
No one comes to call
They can't stand the stench
But I still sing your praises
Every time the curtain calls
The burden on me falls
Yeah, I alone stand at your defense
The affection of your glove
The prison of your company
The snake oil of your love
The heights to which you drag me
Just to hurl your scorn
The trumpets play the livelong day
But they blow so forlorn
Did you hold the hand that held me down?
Did you laugh at my expense?
When there's rust upon your ragged crown
Who will stand at your defense?
And when I unveiled my weakness
On your rodeo of tears
You stood there so vacantly
Your fingers in your ears
And you left by the morning
With all that's left to steal
But every time you say farewell
There's breadcrumbs at your heels
Did you kiss the hand that held me down?
Was your kindness just pretense?
When there's no one left for you to clown
Who will stand at your defense?
But it's ashes, Lord, it's ashes
Soon we all fall down
You take your place among the saints
Make not a single sound
And the hills that held our childhood
The flowers grow there still
You lay beneath them, pushing weeds
And I guess you always will
Could you be the hand that held me down?
When I was sick with common sense
And now your statuettes are all torn down
There's no one left to lean against
And ever since your epitaph
Was spattered on my wall
No one comes to call
They can't stand the stench
But I still sing your praises
Every time the curtain calls
The burden on me falls
Yeah, I alone stand at your defense
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
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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.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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.
ok... no...
The song is about being in a bad relationship but still being in love with the person you know is bad for you. He's admitting it was his hand (his own fault) that kept him down, but she was encouraging it. And still he's the one that defends her if anyone beings up how bad she was for him.
I think the point of a site called SongMeanings.net, would be to discuss the meaning of songs and not just tell people to buy an album. haha BUT oh well, you're a Two Gallants fan and that's all that really matters.
Anyway, I think this song is obviously about somebody who puts others down to make themselves feel better.
I love the line, "and now your statuettes are all torn down. There's no-one left for you to lean against"
ckad79, you didn't get the 'what does this song mean to you?' part? but I agree with you, I think this song is about realizing that someone you would have done anything for, spended his/hers time holding you down - and 'enjoying' it
To me the lyrics seem to be talking about a bad relationship that ended with suicide. The first two verses are talking about the relationship, the second two sound like suicide.
"And on the hills that held our childhood the flowers grow there still You lay beneath them pushing weeds and I guess you always will" Pushing flowers up means dead/burried in the ground.. "weeds" used in this case seems to say he's angry about it.
"And ever since you epitaph was spattered on my wall No-one comes to call They can't stand the stench"
i think it's more about a friendship than a relationship. the words don't seem like they were hurt by a girlfriend, it seems like they were let down by someone they truly considered a friend. i could analyze this song until the end of time, i think the lyrics are really powerful and thought-provoking. two gallants definitely win my best lyrics award.
I think that, in the simplest of terms, it's about thinking someone's a lot better for you than you are. To me, it's about the moment you realize when someone, whether a friend or a lover, has actually been unhealthy for you; i.e. "the hand that held me down." The metaphor of "did you kiss the hand that held me down?" signifies that the person he speaks of had a greater hand in his emotional downfall/the disintegration of the relationship than he had realized at the time.
I think it's about someone being under the spell of another person, "The Hand" that held the person down. The singer believes that he will eventually come to his senses and realize that he needs to break free but, sadly, stands at her (I'm guessing it's a girl) side when no one else will.
alternate lyrics from live version; youtube.com/watch
The hollow of the evening, the flicker of your love the shadow of your bedside lamp outshines the stars above the heights to which you drag me, just to hurl your scorn the trumpets play the livelong day, but they blow so forlorn
do you hold the hand that held me down? is your kindness just pretense? when you stumble on your last go-round who will come to your defense?
among your pigs and cowards, i take my daily meal you said farewell so tastelessly with breadcrumbs at your heels and i've unveiled my weakness on your rodeo of tears and you hum under your breath, pretending not to hear
did you kiss the hand that held me down? was your kindness just pretense? and when there's dust upon your ragged crown who will stand at your defense?
when i come back from this evening, to the flicker of your love and madness from the hearts you claim as though you come for love (??? unsure about this) and you watch me come for miles, from your white ivory tower i've been around your every house, i come back every hour
could you be the hand that held me down? when i'm sick with common sense when your lowliness wants me around when I (??? can't make this out)
and ever since your epitaph was splattered on my wall no-one comes to call, they can't stand the stench but i still sing your praises every time the curtain calls I alone will stand at your defense.
I agree with ElegantMule. This is a song about being in love with someone that is not good for you, and perhaps just stringing you along. They like you around, but not enough to commit as shown in " every time you say farewell, there's breadcrumbs at your heels." I disagree with Oxygeninduced saying that the lover commits suicide. Instead I believe he finally comes to the conclusion that she was bad for him and now she is "dead" to him, as that is the only way for him to escape the relationship. "And on the hills that held our childhood the flowers grow there still You lay beneath them pushing weeds and I guess you always will" To me these lines remenisce on the good times at the beggining, but show the resentment he holds towards her and her "deadness" to him underneath these admittedly positive memories.
The next portion tells of why he can no longer chase after her, he has realized that by her being bad for him and his reluctance to leave the situation he was the hand holding himself down.
And ever since you epitaph was spattered on my wall No-one comes to call They can't stand the stench But I still sing your praises every time the curtain calls The burden on me falls Yeah, I alone stand at your defense
He can not come back due to the sour ending of things not working out for fear of holding himself down again. Yet regardless of the relationship ending he still has love for her and will defend her positive aspects because of this enduring love. I feel this song ties into the next song on the CD, "Trembling of the Rose."
This song reminds me of a guy who was bad for me, but he had a good heart. He was just damaged goods and I was part of the damage. In the end, he kept getting caught in his web of destruction, and I would always defend his honor as a friend until it dragged me down so hard I hit bottom. I was his only friend, but he couldn't hold it together, and I was reminded of this song, "Could you be the hand that held me down? When I was sick with common sense And now your statuettes are all torn down There's no-one left for you to lean against."
The whole time this person is leaning on you, but they've pulled the rug out from under you and it doesn't make any sense to you, because you were the only one there for them. Basically, they try to hold on to you by making you feel like shit about yourself. Really sick and twisted!