"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.
And when the angels come
They'll cut you down the middle
To see if you're still there.
To see if you're still there.
And underneath your ribs
They'll find a heart-shaped locket,
An old photograph
Of you in Daddy's arms.
And then they'll sow you closed
And give you back to the water
From where we're all born
From where we're all born
And you'll feed the ghosts
And you'll feed the living
You will be a stranger
And you'll be a friend
You'll be the leper
You'll be the healer
You'll be the hero
And the tragedy
And when they sow you closed
They'll give you back to the water
From where we're all born
From where we're all born
When they burn your body
All that's left is sand crystals
Two tiny handfuls
All the rest is water, water, water
All you need to know
Is you are born of water
You are made of water
You are merely water, water, water
All you need to know
Is you are born of water
You are made of water
You are merely water, water, water
They'll cut you down the middle
To see if you're still there.
To see if you're still there.
And underneath your ribs
They'll find a heart-shaped locket,
An old photograph
Of you in Daddy's arms.
And then they'll sow you closed
And give you back to the water
From where we're all born
From where we're all born
And you'll feed the ghosts
And you'll feed the living
You will be a stranger
And you'll be a friend
You'll be the leper
You'll be the healer
You'll be the hero
And the tragedy
And when they sow you closed
They'll give you back to the water
From where we're all born
From where we're all born
When they burn your body
All that's left is sand crystals
Two tiny handfuls
All the rest is water, water, water
All you need to know
Is you are born of water
You are made of water
You are merely water, water, water
All you need to know
Is you are born of water
You are made of water
You are merely water, water, water
Lyrics submitted by Way_AE
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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,
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.
i love this song so much.
i was also thinking that maybe the water could represent purity, like basically meaning when we're born we're pure and innocent... when u die ur body becomes pure & organic, and u go back to the water, which we come from. and u'll be clean and all ur sins erased, and it's a beautiful thing.
they have lot of songs about death and the circle of life... i love them.