"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 have a friend and when he sings, i cry
all the memories inside try to rebirth and give me life
but i can't talk about old times tonight
'cause round here the light stays off all the time
it's seven o'clock
i already feel late
all the pain from my stress are beating my chest
about decisions i've had to make
well i breathe in light
and i breathe out light
run my hands through my hair, see my breath in the air
oh, i'm so tired of running
when all your bad boys have gone sour
and you're shivering, cold and alone in a shower
oh baby that soap won't make you clean
screaming at jesus just to let you bleed
it's seven-thirty
i can smell the candles burning
i could go to sleep now
i'll just wait till morning
when the melodies come and sing me stories
all the birds that can talk
no, they're never boring
there's nothing like hearing that girl cry on the receiver
and your stomach hurts so bad 'cause you think you need her
so you down that cough syrup
you love feeling so screwed up
and you crawl up those stairs and read yourself to sleep
yeah, you crawl up those steps and sing yourself to peace
it's eight o'clock
she didn't eat today
yeah, hurting herself's never felt this great
well you see that green hill, friend
that's where i'm gonna be
watching glory coming in the form of morning
i was found on that dark hillside
with a certain painting by my side
screaming: knock down the house of regret
knock it down, pave it over
till you feel younger and younger
knock it down, pave it over
till you feel like you're a kid again
knock it down, pave it over
till your heart's warmer and warmer
knock it down, pave it over
till you wake up born again
[ed: appreciate any further working input/ corrections! much tks to geesecantdance.]
all the memories inside try to rebirth and give me life
but i can't talk about old times tonight
'cause round here the light stays off all the time
it's seven o'clock
i already feel late
all the pain from my stress are beating my chest
about decisions i've had to make
well i breathe in light
and i breathe out light
run my hands through my hair, see my breath in the air
oh, i'm so tired of running
when all your bad boys have gone sour
and you're shivering, cold and alone in a shower
oh baby that soap won't make you clean
screaming at jesus just to let you bleed
it's seven-thirty
i can smell the candles burning
i could go to sleep now
i'll just wait till morning
when the melodies come and sing me stories
all the birds that can talk
no, they're never boring
there's nothing like hearing that girl cry on the receiver
and your stomach hurts so bad 'cause you think you need her
so you down that cough syrup
you love feeling so screwed up
and you crawl up those stairs and read yourself to sleep
yeah, you crawl up those steps and sing yourself to peace
it's eight o'clock
she didn't eat today
yeah, hurting herself's never felt this great
well you see that green hill, friend
that's where i'm gonna be
watching glory coming in the form of morning
i was found on that dark hillside
with a certain painting by my side
screaming: knock down the house of regret
knock it down, pave it over
till you feel younger and younger
knock it down, pave it over
till you feel like you're a kid again
knock it down, pave it over
till your heart's warmer and warmer
knock it down, pave it over
till you wake up born again
[ed: appreciate any further working input/ corrections! much tks to geesecantdance.]
Lyrics submitted by solvent_d
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Holiday
Bee Gees
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@[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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
tks a lot for the input! really helped clear out most of the ambuiguity :) i've amended most of the lyrics to what you've provided, because it seems to make enough sense. tks again.
p/s: cute nick.