"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.
She comes walking down the road
And I know that dogs won't bark
She comes walking up the stairs
She's tap-tap-tapping on my door
And she'll make those tears to know that it's a must
But I go blind and my mouth fills up with dust
Says she's open like a book
She's got everything I need
Even wants to take the time
To teach me how to read
But the ceiling moves on down towards the floor
And soon there's only room enough for us to crawl
I wanna build her up
Up as tall as a church
Just to watch her
Just to watch her falling down
I can't see her again
I just can't see her again
I've got to see her again
I've got to see her again
She comes walking down the road
With a kaftan in her hands
She comes walking up the stairs
She's tap-tap-tapping on my door
And she'll make those tears to know that it's a must
But I go blind and my bones start to rust
I wanna build her up
Up as tall as a church
Just to watch her
Just to watch her falling down
I can't see her again
I just can't see her again
I've got to see her again
I've got to see her again
And I know that dogs won't bark
She comes walking up the stairs
She's tap-tap-tapping on my door
And she'll make those tears to know that it's a must
But I go blind and my mouth fills up with dust
Says she's open like a book
She's got everything I need
Even wants to take the time
To teach me how to read
But the ceiling moves on down towards the floor
And soon there's only room enough for us to crawl
I wanna build her up
Up as tall as a church
Just to watch her
Just to watch her falling down
I can't see her again
I just can't see her again
I've got to see her again
I've got to see her again
She comes walking down the road
With a kaftan in her hands
She comes walking up the stairs
She's tap-tap-tapping on my door
And she'll make those tears to know that it's a must
But I go blind and my bones start to rust
I wanna build her up
Up as tall as a church
Just to watch her
Just to watch her falling down
I can't see her again
I just can't see her again
I've got to see her again
I've got to see her again
Lyrics submitted by wraa
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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,
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 think he sings of all the peculiar things that made this girl so special and why he liked her so much. She was in his life so quickly, but gone so soon, and he never got to actually fall in love with her, or experience anything so... real with her, even though he knew that they could have had something. That's what I think.
What a lovely bittersweet song