"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 will not stand immersed in this ultraviolet curse
I won't let you make a tool of me, I will keep my mind and body free
Bye Bye minutiae
Of the day to day drama
I am expanding exponentially
I am consciousness without identity
I am many things made of everything
but I will not be your bankroll
I won't idle in your drive thru, I won't watch your electric sideshow
I got way better places to to go
I will maintain the truth I knew naturally as a child
I won't forfeit my creativity to a world that's all laid our for me
I will look at everything and I will vow to bear in mind
That all of this was just someone's idea, it could just as well be mine
I won't rent you my time, I won't sell you my brain
I won't pray to a male god, cause you know, that would be insane
I can't support the troops, cause every last one of them is being duped
I will not rest a wink, until we women have regrouped
I am many things made of everything
but I will not be your bankroll
I won't go in your drive thru, I won't watch your electric sideshow
I got way better placed to go
I won't let you make a tool of me, I will keep my mind and body free
Bye Bye minutiae
Of the day to day drama
I am expanding exponentially
I am consciousness without identity
I am many things made of everything
but I will not be your bankroll
I won't idle in your drive thru, I won't watch your electric sideshow
I got way better places to to go
I will maintain the truth I knew naturally as a child
I won't forfeit my creativity to a world that's all laid our for me
I will look at everything and I will vow to bear in mind
That all of this was just someone's idea, it could just as well be mine
I won't rent you my time, I won't sell you my brain
I won't pray to a male god, cause you know, that would be insane
I can't support the troops, cause every last one of them is being duped
I will not rest a wink, until we women have regrouped
I am many things made of everything
but I will not be your bankroll
I won't go in your drive thru, I won't watch your electric sideshow
I got way better placed to go
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
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."
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
It's hard to believe that no one's commented on this one yet. The lyrics are absolutely incredible, like an Ani Manifesto! :-p
She is taking strength in her counter culture approach to life, restating her values and moving forward with the power of her own convictions.
Favourite stanza: I will maintain the truth I knew naturally as a child I won't forfeit my creativity To a world that's all laid out for me And I will vow to bear in mind That all of this was just someone's idea It could just as well be mine
This is, by far, my favorite song on her new album. The moment I heard it, I changed my iPod to repeat one and I've been listening to it exclusively for a little while now.
I agree with Phanta5matic - the song is fairly blunt about it.
I love "But I will not be your bank roll." It kind of reminds me of the attitude she had in "The Next Big Thing".
This song is quickly moving its way up to my top ten most played. =)
This is a wonderful song!.. well lyrically speaking. Ive been looking for the past few years for the perfect quote for a tattoo project.. "i will maintain the truth i knew naturally as a child i won't forfeit my creativity, to a world that's all laid out for me i will look at everything around me and i will vow to bear in mind that all of this was just someone's idea it could just as well be mine".... so spot on, what great words to live by. This song is such a frank manifesto.. love it.
Favorite song on the album hands down!!
Favorite line, cuz it's exactly what I've been saying for years...
and i can't support the troops, cuz every last one of them's being duped,
@RedLetterYear She spoke about this on one if her bootlegs and said the support the troops mantra was just a cover for what the politicians were doing. Like if an oil company was causing massive environmental damage they would be campaigning to support the office workers.
"i won't pray to a male god cuz that would be insane"
But she doesn't rule out praying to a female god? Why would that not be equally insane? Because the god is female? That would be blatant sexism. Perhaps the god she has in mind is sexless and/or genderless.
Otherwise this song is very forthright. There's little room for interpretation.
@k33psi3s Ani was pregnant at the time and to her the idea of a male creator seemed to be insane.