"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 was a lid on a house we barely speak of
folded again i could see myself inside
and i was amazed how a god could know my first name
and you amazed at the difference in my speech 2, 3, 4
so what of your words did i know you would deceive me
and what better in for a calmness in my side
so i made a way from a ? godspeed
and what a debate do you still know my full name
and i was the one that decided to light you on fire
and you were a tree with a root that was wrapped in my brain
so build me a sign make me know that you speak of a body
oh do do you plead do do you plead do do you plead please
i had a thought i did your house up faking causes
and i needn't a word i am the saddest version yet
so what is the price i pay to be this wrong ?
i was the man that claimed to see but now i'm not
i am afraid of the good and bad beneath me
so give me a sign for the angels on my feet
i was a man yeah i swear i was a man
so keep me alive for the angels in my feet
cause i am a way for a man to rid his skin clean
so send me a sign for the ones who need my seed (seat)
and i had a dream i killed our families
and you were the one i hoped you blame
and i felt a baby in your stomach
i knew who he was but he had no name
folded again i could see myself inside
and i was amazed how a god could know my first name
and you amazed at the difference in my speech 2, 3, 4
so what of your words did i know you would deceive me
and what better in for a calmness in my side
so i made a way from a ? godspeed
and what a debate do you still know my full name
and i was the one that decided to light you on fire
and you were a tree with a root that was wrapped in my brain
so build me a sign make me know that you speak of a body
oh do do you plead do do you plead do do you plead please
i had a thought i did your house up faking causes
and i needn't a word i am the saddest version yet
so what is the price i pay to be this wrong ?
i was the man that claimed to see but now i'm not
i am afraid of the good and bad beneath me
so give me a sign for the angels on my feet
i was a man yeah i swear i was a man
so keep me alive for the angels in my feet
cause i am a way for a man to rid his skin clean
so send me a sign for the ones who need my seed (seat)
and i had a dream i killed our families
and you were the one i hoped you blame
and i felt a baby in your stomach
i knew who he was but he had no name
Lyrics submitted by lilblig7
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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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
So "I can feel a hot one", a relatively mediocre song, has 80 comments where as "I was a Lid", probably one of the best songs Manchester has put out, has only 3 comments? Am I alone in my confusion?
I think saying that "I Can Feel a Hot One" is "relatively mediocre" is doing that song a horrible injustice. I think that it's their best song. But I do agree that "I Was a Lid" is also pretty high up that list as well.
I wish everyone would think deeper into the meaning- everyone that I can see thinks this song is just singularly about religion and yes I agree but look at it closer and think of it as a basis for a relationship- not with God but intimately with someone else.
This song is about him being the reason why he kept it together for his significant other, that he was the "Lid" from keeping anything going wrong. And though he declared himself a man, a man content with himself both physically, mentally and religiously he really couldn't control himself from ending up to be a man who could have already been in her life already. Towards the end of the song- the last four verses he is talking briefly about how he entirely knows he has gone into this trap he made for himself but he still blames the woman for putting him in that position in the first place. The last two lines are very much related to "Tony The Tiger". How it would have even gave him more hope then he had put in himself.
Andy Hull though sometimes singular is a brilliant songwriter. All good writers generally do write about the same things over and rewrite it but this is a wonderful, almost chilling re-incarnation of "I Can Feel A Hot One" and "Tony The Tiger" as I said
once again another amazing song. here's what i heard...
i was a lid on a house we barely speak of folded again i could see myself inside and i was amazed how a god could know my first name and you amazed at the difference in my speech 2, 3, 4
so what of your words did i know you would deceive me and what better in for a calmness in my side so i made a way from a ? godspeed and what a debate do you still know my full name
and i was the one that decided to light you on fire and you were a tree with a root that was wrapped in my brain so build me a sign make me know that you speak of a body oh do do you plead do do you plead do do you plead please
i had a thought i did your house up faking causes and i needn't a word i am the saddest version yet so what is the price i pay to be this wrong ? i was the man that claimed to see but now i'm not
i am afraid of the good and bad beneath me so give me a sign for the angels on my feet i was a man yeah i swear i was a man so keep me alive for the angels in my feet
cause i am a way for a man to rid his skin clean so send me a sign for the ones who need my seed (seat)
and i had a dream i killed our families and you were the one i hoped you blame and i felt a baby in your stomach i knew who he was but he had no name
I think it says
and what better END for a calmness in my side
What is all this mention of babies in her stomachs? This is the second time in two songs that he's said this. Are they both album tracks?
What I heard before "godspeed" was talkie-factioned. Definitely factioned, anyway. Or his weird accent saying fashioned.
nononono augustine, i was wondering the same thing. i mean, i really like "i can feel a hot one" but this is probably my favorite mano song/ the best in my opinion.
Utterly fantastic, and way better than I Can Feel A Hot One.
I don't think 'I Can feel a Hot One' should be so criticized. I Was a Lid and I Can Feel a Hot One, are two different styles that the band does. 'I Was a Lid' is more ballad-rock-pumping as opposed to the simple, yet amazing ballad that is; I Can Feel a Hot One.
'I Can Feel a Hot One' was exploded last year when 'Gossip Girl' featured it on the show. That being the only reason 'I Can Feel a Hot One' is so much more popular.
REGARDLESS, both are amazing songs. Pretty much anything from this band is both lyrically and musically incredible!
By the Way: Official lyrics for the song, from the bands' website:
themanchesterorchestra.com/us/music/let-my-pride-be-whats-left-behind-ep/i-was-lid
I think this song is about being a man of imperfection and having to deal with sin while God is perfect and absolutely good.
I can't think too much right now but that is what I get out of this song.
Nighty.