"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.
Remember when our songs were just like prayers
Like gospel hymns that you called in the air
Come down, come down sweet reverence
Unto my simple house and ring... and ring
Ring like silver, ring like gold
Ring out those ghosts on the Ohio
Ring like clear day wedding bells
Were we the belly of the beast, or the sword that fell?
Oh we'll never tell
Come to me, clear and cold
On some sea
Watch the world spinning waves
Like some machine
Now I've been crazy, couldn't you tell?
I threw stones at the stars, but the whole sky fell
Now I'm covered up in straw, belly up on the table
And I drank and sang, and I passed in the stable
That tall grass grows high and brown
Well I dragged you straight in the muddy ground
And you sent me back to where I roam
Well I cursed and I cried, but now I know
Oh now I know
Yeah and I ran back to that hollow again
Well the moon was just a sliver back then
And I ached for my heart like some tin man
When it came, oh it beat and it boiled and it rang
Oh, it's ringing
Ring like crazy, ring like hell
And turn me back into that wild haired gale
Ring like silver, ring like gold
And turn these diamonds straight back into coal
And turn these diamonds straight back into coal
And turn these diamonds straight back...
Like gospel hymns that you called in the air
Come down, come down sweet reverence
Unto my simple house and ring... and ring
Ring like silver, ring like gold
Ring out those ghosts on the Ohio
Ring like clear day wedding bells
Were we the belly of the beast, or the sword that fell?
Oh we'll never tell
Come to me, clear and cold
On some sea
Watch the world spinning waves
Like some machine
Now I've been crazy, couldn't you tell?
I threw stones at the stars, but the whole sky fell
Now I'm covered up in straw, belly up on the table
And I drank and sang, and I passed in the stable
That tall grass grows high and brown
Well I dragged you straight in the muddy ground
And you sent me back to where I roam
Well I cursed and I cried, but now I know
Oh now I know
Yeah and I ran back to that hollow again
Well the moon was just a sliver back then
And I ached for my heart like some tin man
When it came, oh it beat and it boiled and it rang
Oh, it's ringing
Ring like crazy, ring like hell
And turn me back into that wild haired gale
Ring like silver, ring like gold
And turn these diamonds straight back into coal
And turn these diamonds straight back into coal
And turn these diamonds straight back...
Lyrics submitted by arijoe, edited by IllToast2That, LiveWithit, cdsdiver, endee07, Gypsymomma78, Mellow_Harsher
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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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.
American Town
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Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Not to disagree, I think the muse explanation is a beautiful one. But...
I believe this song is about the experience of going from youthful joy, idealism, faith, and "reverence" -- and then losing it, hitting bottom, possibly self-destruction -- and, then... regaining it again, feeling alive and youthful again.
Initially, the character remembers what it was like when he was younger, everything on his mind was faithful, optimistic, reverential. He was connected to the universe. He jumped out into the unknown and shot for the stars, possibly even found success.
But, then the "sky falls," he hits bottom, perhaps he wanted too much, was over-indulgent, addiction, whatever. You can read between the lines here, but we know he wastes/abuses his "reverence" and his beautiful connection. We know he brought it upon himself. He becomes washed up, or whatever. This time frame is meant to be ugly/disparaging. But, mainly, we know he no longer jumps out into the unknown, no longer seizes life.
But, then...
He goes back into the "hollow" (or the unknown) to find the "reverence" again, the "ringing." Note: He was younger then... "the moon was just a sliver back then." He wants his heart back, he wants to FEEL again, like he did before.
Then, we know that it comes back to him, with intensity. He FEELS again, like it's "boiling" inside him. He's full of the reverence again, connected again, and adventurous... transformed back into a "wild-haired gail."
Lastly, it is like time has turned back or his perspective has become youthful, young again: "Turn these diamonds straight back into coal." The "diamonds" of wisdom/experience changed back into the raw source: coal before it has experienced so much pressure that it changed.
Or something like that...
Pretty sure you nailed it with that one. That's exactly what I pulled from this song. I think it is a beautiful song.
Thank you so much for posting your thoughts, because so much of them were mine as well. <br /> <br /> I agree with you that "I threw stones at the sky but the whole sky fell" could mean he was over-indulgent (maybe a reference to the story of icarus?) and I thought of addiction too, but the I thought I was just projecting my life onto the song. <br /> <br /> "well I dragged you straight in the muddy ground"-perhaps he brought someone down with him, and was abandoned by that person? <br /> <br /> I interpreted "the moon was just a sliver back then" as "there was only a little bit of hope", especially when feeling something as paradoxical as wanting to feel . <br /> <br />
@jabarhead reminds me of a young man going off to Marine Bootcamp all excited for his new life full of adventure and then seeing the ugly truth about war. He becomes old and wise from his experience even though he's still so young. War changes you.
@jabarhead I agree with your assessment, but with one specific addition: I believe this is about an engagement that never came to fruition, i.e. marriage. The references to "ring like silver, ring like gold," "wedding bells," and "turn these diamonds straight back into coal" really paint a picture. The engagement ended and he's grief-stricken, so he goes on a heavy drinking binge and self-reflects. When he's on the other side of that binge, he can see things more clearly and is ready to move on.
@jabarhead To add to the above, I think that the artist also likes to use words with double meanings. In this song, I think that "stable" refers more to the idea of a stable relationship / marriage as it does a building where horses are kept. "I drank and sang, and passed in the stable" is the description of a man giving up on his youthful years and settling down for a "stable" relationship. I think this song is about the artist getting married to the wrong person by settling for the "stable" life.
@jabarhead Joining this Party Late , But I am Deep into this song Again and it’s meaning . So I wanted to throw my two cents in . I am not a Poetic man . I am not highly intelligent or claim to be . So here is my interpretation of The Stable Song from a Simple Man . And that’s where I begin . It’s Just A Simple Story and I try not to make sense of every word and what it pertains to. In My Meat Cutter Opinion , The beginning describes Life or a relationship . If it’s about Life, then I interpret as becoming independent and have grown up with nothing but Faith and Spiritual Belief and Positive expectations . But soon you were not prepared for the Pressures of every day life continuing to be a battle everyday one day after another And it all just happens (Were we the belly of the beast or the sword that fell ..... ? ) Was life in shambles because of circumstances out of your control or did you make bad choices and decisions to put you in this position. That’s what I take from the beginning as it sets the tone . Let’s say it’s a bad business decision, or Being irresponsible or let’s say it was Alcohol . And What started out as just drinking to be social or to deal with the new stresses of life , it turned into something bad and it made EVERYTHING worse ( Threw stones at the stars but the whole sky fell ....... ) then the Passing out drunk , Belly Up on a Table , Drinking in the Stable . I see that as the moment everything was gone , lost , taken away. Especially his faith and spiritual strength. He has nowhere to go but back home . When he says “ You “ I feel he is referring to his relationship with God or His Spirit and how he Took that down with him . So Then he goes back to that Hollow again , and Finds himself . He was Broken and sad and lost and confused but eventually understood and took responsibility and accountability for the choices that were made and the circumstances that lead him back to the beginning again ( Cursed and I cried but now I know ......... ) . And to end it , Maybe he Now knows where everything fell apart , what he needs to do differently, and the most important thing is to Find his Faith and Spirit again , and to never lose it again . <br /> <br /> Was that too Deep ?? I am probably wrong . But the beginning Describes a Spiritual connection and Then losing it , Then Finding it again at the end and it’s Stronger than ever . <br /> <br /> So that’s my opinion. Having faith , holding onto it , if you fail or hit rock bottom , Go back to the start when u were the happiest and Start over and learn from your past endeavors. <br /> <br />