"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.
And you may tremble before hell's gates
You may watch as the heavens fall
And you may cite the hands of fate
You may heed the siren's call
And you may reach every golden shore
Witness, repent, and ?
And you may dance in the sands of the war
You may sleep in the cradle of Eden
[Chorus]
Betray your prophets
Dead seeds will redeem
An army of blood
Will pray on the wake
And you may walk through the river run dry
You may strike down the giant with stone
And you may never again speak a lie
Confess and rape their soul
And you may drink from the infidel's blood
As their civilization collapses
You may rejoice in the cleanse of the flood
And stare into the face of the powerless
[Chorus]
(low, rambling vocals)
You will not comprehend
Or find words that will describe
The will of God and man
Until you watch someone die
[Chorus: x2]
You may watch as the heavens fall
And you may cite the hands of fate
You may heed the siren's call
And you may reach every golden shore
Witness, repent, and ?
And you may dance in the sands of the war
You may sleep in the cradle of Eden
[Chorus]
Betray your prophets
Dead seeds will redeem
An army of blood
Will pray on the wake
And you may walk through the river run dry
You may strike down the giant with stone
And you may never again speak a lie
Confess and rape their soul
And you may drink from the infidel's blood
As their civilization collapses
You may rejoice in the cleanse of the flood
And stare into the face of the powerless
[Chorus]
(low, rambling vocals)
You will not comprehend
Or find words that will describe
The will of God and man
Until you watch someone die
[Chorus: x2]
Lyrics submitted by SPuckett36, edited by KoRnmunky, lumencryster
Dead Seeds Lyrics as written by David Randall Blythe Chris Adler
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
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 think i finally have these lyrics down
And you may tremble before hell's gates You may watch as the heavens fall And you may cite the hands of fate You may heed the siren's call
"tremble before hells gates" i believe is a metaphor for being scared while going into battle "watch as the heavens fall" is also a metaphor, but it means your side actually fighting the battle. (i am pretty sure the word "cite" should be "sleight"). the next line refers to killing people on the opposite side. and the last line of the stanza doesnt say "sirens" it says "tyrants", and it means that you submit to your leader out of fear and kill people.
And you may reach every golden shore Witness, repent, and ? And you may dance in the sands of the war You may sleep in the cradle of Eden
"reach every golden shore" is another metaphor saying you can conquer the world. the next 2 lines (the first one is the one that was toughest for me to interpret) means the leader will see soldiers sorry for killing so many people for what seems to be for nothing (that was an extremely rough interpret. so feel free to correct me) or you can play war as if its a game. the line means how you will sleep peaceably when discharged.
Betray your prophets Dead seeds will redeem An army of blood Will pray on the wake
the first part of the chorus means how the leaders will betray the mercy of what our nation used to be. the next half says how this nation will prey on the weak(which is what those lyrics should say)
And you may walk through the river run dry You may strike down the giant with stone And you may never again speak a lie Confess and rape their soul
the first half of this verse says how you may have victory over the strongest army despite the empty greed you bathe in. the next 2 lines say how you can confess and repent.