"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.
They say that we ain't got the style
We ain't got the class
We ain't got the tunes that's goin to put us on the map
And I'm a phony in disguise
Trying to make the radio
I'm an anti-social anarchist, I sound like so and so
They say I'm just a stupid kid
Another crazy radical
Rock and roll is dead I probably should've stayed in school
Another Generation X who somehow slipped up through the cracks
Oh they'd love to see me fall but I'm already on my back
And it goes in one ear
And right out the other
People talkin' shit but you know I never bother
I goes in one ear
And right out the other
People talkin' shit
They can kiss the back of my hand
Now I know I'm not a saint
I been a sinner all my life
I ain't tryin to hide me flaws
I'd rather keep them in the light
They wanna criticize, scrutinize
Cast another stone
Burn me at the stake and sit and watch it from their throne
They say the devil is my pal
I do a lotta drugs
The crowd will only like me if they're really fuckin' drunk
They think they know my thoughts
But they don't know the least
If they listened to the words they'd find the message tucked beneath
But it goes in one ear
And right out the other
People talkin shit even though they never bother
It goes in one ear
And right out the other
People talkin' shit, they can kiss the back of my hand
(You hear that)
(You hear what's coming? Oh you better run for the hills)
('Cause we're coming to your town, and we're gonna burn that mother fucker down)
Here's the moral to the story
We don't do it for the glory
We don't do it for the money
We don't do it for the fame
So all the critics who despise us, go ahead and criticize us
It's your tyranny that drives us, adds the fire to our flames
And it goes
In one ear
And right out the other
People talkin' shit but you know we'll never bother
It goes in one ear
And right out the other
I'm only playing music 'cause you know I fucking love it
It goes in one ear
And right out the other
People talkin' shit but you know we'll never bother
It goes in one ear, and right out the other
People talkin' shit well you know they can kiss the back of my hand
We ain't got the class
We ain't got the tunes that's goin to put us on the map
And I'm a phony in disguise
Trying to make the radio
I'm an anti-social anarchist, I sound like so and so
They say I'm just a stupid kid
Another crazy radical
Rock and roll is dead I probably should've stayed in school
Another Generation X who somehow slipped up through the cracks
Oh they'd love to see me fall but I'm already on my back
And it goes in one ear
And right out the other
People talkin' shit but you know I never bother
I goes in one ear
And right out the other
People talkin' shit
They can kiss the back of my hand
Now I know I'm not a saint
I been a sinner all my life
I ain't tryin to hide me flaws
I'd rather keep them in the light
They wanna criticize, scrutinize
Cast another stone
Burn me at the stake and sit and watch it from their throne
They say the devil is my pal
I do a lotta drugs
The crowd will only like me if they're really fuckin' drunk
They think they know my thoughts
But they don't know the least
If they listened to the words they'd find the message tucked beneath
But it goes in one ear
And right out the other
People talkin shit even though they never bother
It goes in one ear
And right out the other
People talkin' shit, they can kiss the back of my hand
(You hear that)
(You hear what's coming? Oh you better run for the hills)
('Cause we're coming to your town, and we're gonna burn that mother fucker down)
Here's the moral to the story
We don't do it for the glory
We don't do it for the money
We don't do it for the fame
So all the critics who despise us, go ahead and criticize us
It's your tyranny that drives us, adds the fire to our flames
And it goes
In one ear
And right out the other
People talkin' shit but you know we'll never bother
It goes in one ear
And right out the other
I'm only playing music 'cause you know I fucking love it
It goes in one ear
And right out the other
People talkin' shit but you know we'll never bother
It goes in one ear, and right out the other
People talkin' shit well you know they can kiss the back of my hand
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[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
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."
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.
"i ain't tryin to have no buds, i'd rather keep them in the line"
sounds to me like "I ain't trying to hide my flaws, I try to keep them in the light"