"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.
sweet sister, help me along
help me be strong, never get bored
never ignore, always amuse, and always (?)
sweet lover, you know the deal
i can predict the things that you feel
i need a breather, i need a towel,
i need a lover, i need it now
cause i was born through the simple love
i was worn like a boxing glove
i was torn from the humid skies above
sweet lover, don't push me away
please let me say what i gotta say
you tell me you love someone else
you wanna go be all by yourself
i know i hadn't been kind
took you for granted
it's granted I'm blind
I'm trying to give you all of myself
only to you, nobody else
cause i was born through the majesty
of your warm loving hand in me
i was born now there's nothing left to be
i sing a simple song
about all the times
yes you have cried, as i have cried
yeah both loved, and yeah we have lied
some day together again
meet me down by the river bend
my love for you is not quite the same
but maybe we can blossom again
cause i was born for the simple love
i've been worn like a boxing glove
i was torn from the humid skies above
and i was born for the majesty
of your warm loving hand in me
i was born, now there's nothing left to be
how could you say that you love him
you don't even like his music
how could you say that you love him
you don't even trust his music
his music defines his heart
his heart defines his music
how could you say that you love that guy
you don't even like, in fact you told me that you hated, his music
i wish so bad you would say, "honey come back don't go away."
i would be on the very next bus
come here to you, i'd come here to us
does it matter, do you even care
i pushed you away when i wasn't there
see i was confused, didn't know what to do
now all i can say is that i love you
cause i was born for the simple love
i was worn like a boxing glove
i was torn from the humid skies above
and i was born through the majesty
or your warm loving hand on me
not this lost and lonely tragedy
help me be strong, never get bored
never ignore, always amuse, and always (?)
sweet lover, you know the deal
i can predict the things that you feel
i need a breather, i need a towel,
i need a lover, i need it now
cause i was born through the simple love
i was worn like a boxing glove
i was torn from the humid skies above
sweet lover, don't push me away
please let me say what i gotta say
you tell me you love someone else
you wanna go be all by yourself
i know i hadn't been kind
took you for granted
it's granted I'm blind
I'm trying to give you all of myself
only to you, nobody else
cause i was born through the majesty
of your warm loving hand in me
i was born now there's nothing left to be
i sing a simple song
about all the times
yes you have cried, as i have cried
yeah both loved, and yeah we have lied
some day together again
meet me down by the river bend
my love for you is not quite the same
but maybe we can blossom again
cause i was born for the simple love
i've been worn like a boxing glove
i was torn from the humid skies above
and i was born for the majesty
of your warm loving hand in me
i was born, now there's nothing left to be
how could you say that you love him
you don't even like his music
how could you say that you love him
you don't even trust his music
his music defines his heart
his heart defines his music
how could you say that you love that guy
you don't even like, in fact you told me that you hated, his music
i wish so bad you would say, "honey come back don't go away."
i would be on the very next bus
come here to you, i'd come here to us
does it matter, do you even care
i pushed you away when i wasn't there
see i was confused, didn't know what to do
now all i can say is that i love you
cause i was born for the simple love
i was worn like a boxing glove
i was torn from the humid skies above
and i was born through the majesty
or your warm loving hand on me
not this lost and lonely tragedy
Lyrics submitted by justheather
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
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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.
I Can't Go To Sleep
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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
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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.
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms.
“Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.
sweet lover, you know the deal i can predict the things that you feel i need a breather, i need a towel, i need a lover, i need it now
i can relate to that line too well... when you get that intimate with someone that you share thoughts and stuff... you become codependent and it starts getting too much.. you start being able to predict not only the good but the bad.. then you can easily hurt the other person.. it sucks...
cool song <3