"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've got a secret
It's on the tip of my tongue, it's on the back of my lungs
And I'm gonna keep it
I know something you don't know
It sits in silence, eats away at me
It feeds like cancer, this guilt could fill a fucking sea
Pulling teeth, wolves at my door
Now falling and failing is all I know
This disease is getting worse
I counted my blessings, now I'll count this curse
The only thing I really know, I can't sleep at night
I'm buried and breathing in regret
Yeah!
The only thing I really know, I can't sleep at night
I'm buried and breathing in regret
I've got a secret
It's on the tip of my tongue, it's on the back of my lungs
And I'm gonna keep it
I know something you don't know
I've got a secret
It's on the tip of my tongue, it's on the back of my lungs
And I'm gonna keep it
I know something you don't know
I may look happy, but honestly dear,
The only way I'll really smile is if you cut me ear to ear
I see the vultures, they watch me bleed
They lick their lips, as all the shame spills out of me
Repent! Repent! The end is nigh!
Repent! Repent! We're all gonna die!
Repent! Repent! These secrets will kill us!
So get on your knees, and pray for
Repent! Repent! The end is nigh!
Repent! Repent! We're all gonna die!
Repent! Repent! These secrets will kill us!
So get on your knees, and pray for forgiveness!
We all carry these things inside that no one else can see
They hold us down like anchors. They drown us out at sea
I look up to the sky, there may be nothing there to see
But if I don't believe in him, why would he believe in me?
Why would he believe in me?
Why would he believe in me?
Why would he believe in me?
Why would he believe in me?
Well I've got a secret
It's on the tip of my tongue, it's on the back of my lungs
And I'm gonna keep it
I know something you don't know
Well I've got a secret
It's on the tip of my tongue, it's on the back of my lungs
And I'm gonna keep it
I know something you will never know
You will never know
I know something you don't know
It's on the tip of my tongue, it's on the back of my lungs
And I'm gonna keep it
I know something you don't know
It sits in silence, eats away at me
It feeds like cancer, this guilt could fill a fucking sea
Pulling teeth, wolves at my door
Now falling and failing is all I know
This disease is getting worse
I counted my blessings, now I'll count this curse
The only thing I really know, I can't sleep at night
I'm buried and breathing in regret
Yeah!
The only thing I really know, I can't sleep at night
I'm buried and breathing in regret
I've got a secret
It's on the tip of my tongue, it's on the back of my lungs
And I'm gonna keep it
I know something you don't know
I've got a secret
It's on the tip of my tongue, it's on the back of my lungs
And I'm gonna keep it
I know something you don't know
I may look happy, but honestly dear,
The only way I'll really smile is if you cut me ear to ear
I see the vultures, they watch me bleed
They lick their lips, as all the shame spills out of me
Repent! Repent! The end is nigh!
Repent! Repent! We're all gonna die!
Repent! Repent! These secrets will kill us!
So get on your knees, and pray for
Repent! Repent! The end is nigh!
Repent! Repent! We're all gonna die!
Repent! Repent! These secrets will kill us!
So get on your knees, and pray for forgiveness!
We all carry these things inside that no one else can see
They hold us down like anchors. They drown us out at sea
I look up to the sky, there may be nothing there to see
But if I don't believe in him, why would he believe in me?
Why would he believe in me?
Why would he believe in me?
Why would he believe in me?
Why would he believe in me?
Well I've got a secret
It's on the tip of my tongue, it's on the back of my lungs
And I'm gonna keep it
I know something you don't know
Well I've got a secret
It's on the tip of my tongue, it's on the back of my lungs
And I'm gonna keep it
I know something you will never know
You will never know
I know something you don't know
Lyrics submitted by LNDMIASMA, edited by fuckxyouxcunt
Chelsea Smile Lyrics as written by Matthew Kean Curtis Ward
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, O/B/O DistroKid, Royalty Network
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
I have an interesting take on this song. I believe this song is a sequel to Pray for Plagues from the girls point of view.
Depending on how you interpret Pray for Plagues it all basically comes down to Oli knowing a whore and how it messed up her life. If you look closely he uses some of the same words.
Pray For Plagues= "Eradicate this disease" Chelsea Smile= "This disease is getting worse"
Pray for Plagues= "Count your fucking blessings" Chelsea Smile= "I've counted my blessings, now I'll count this curse"
Pray for Plagues= "Pray for plagues" Chelsea Smile= "Pray for forgiveness"
Before Oli says, "Eradicate this disease" he says "Christ I'm asking you for just one thing." That one thing would be to help the whore he knows. In Chelsea Smile when he says, "I look up to the sky, there may be nothing there to see. But if I don't believe in Him, why would He believe in me?" I believe it's from the girls point of view and her internal conflict with God and His existence and/or His love for her.
Furthermore, when Oli says, "I may look happy, but honestly dear, the only way I'll really smile is if you cut me ear to ear. I see the vultures, they watch me bleed, they lick their lips as all the shame spills out of me." I think the girl is saying how she regrets her actions so much it's almost impossible to make her smile/happy. I think the vultures he talks about are men who see she's filled with shame and see her as an easy target to be taken advantage of. "They lick their lips, as all the shame spills out of me." Maybe the girl is venting her problems to a man and all he sees is an easy target as he licks his lips.
Sorry if I wasn't clear on anything but I really love this song and thought I'd throw this out. I don't know if it's correct but I'd love to read more interpretations.
that seems like a good interpretation of the song