"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 new disease in me
I've got a friend that's losing sleep
I take it hard, it's hard to take
I'm wide-awake, I'm wide-awake
One more confession, discretion's not what I need to sell
I never needed a reason for keeping secrets from myself
and now, that's just how I tell I'm wide-awake
I'll wreck this if I have to
Tell me, what good would that do
I'll wreck this if I have to
You get separated, somebody's gone
and I don't know how this is wrong
I'm so frustrated, falling behind
You were a friend of mine
I'd be so good to you
Because they don't know you like I do
They don't know you like I do
They don't know you like I do
They don't know you like I do
There's a difference from me to them
And the road home is paved in star fuckers requiem
I could never go
Go back home again
Acadia is gone
All my indecision, all of my excess
don't you ever tell me I'm not loving you best
I just need a minute, I just need a breath
It's very hard to drink to my continued success
And I will slow down,
It's better in the worst way
It's getting better in the worst way
So here's another day
I'll spend away from you
another night I'm on another broken avenue
Trading in who I've been for shiny celebrity skin
I like to push it and push it until my luck is over
I wonder what you're doing
I wonder if you doubt it
I wonder how we used to ever go so long without it
All that works to impress
Charming girls out of their dresses smiling pretty
I'm right beside you
What you want, what you need
I'll make this perfect again
If I burn out and slip away
You're beautiful, you are
I've been here so very long
And I can slip into you
It's so easy to come back into you
I'll hide it, can I hide in you a while?
I'm not sick of you yet
Is that as good as it gets
I never took you for a trick but sometimes, I don't know what you want
I could take it if you need to take this out on someone
If this is just a part i portray
I don't know how it got this way
I've got a friend that's losing sleep
I take it hard, it's hard to take
I'm wide-awake, I'm wide-awake
One more confession, discretion's not what I need to sell
I never needed a reason for keeping secrets from myself
and now, that's just how I tell I'm wide-awake
I'll wreck this if I have to
Tell me, what good would that do
I'll wreck this if I have to
You get separated, somebody's gone
and I don't know how this is wrong
I'm so frustrated, falling behind
You were a friend of mine
I'd be so good to you
Because they don't know you like I do
They don't know you like I do
They don't know you like I do
They don't know you like I do
There's a difference from me to them
And the road home is paved in star fuckers requiem
I could never go
Go back home again
Acadia is gone
All my indecision, all of my excess
don't you ever tell me I'm not loving you best
I just need a minute, I just need a breath
It's very hard to drink to my continued success
And I will slow down,
It's better in the worst way
It's getting better in the worst way
So here's another day
I'll spend away from you
another night I'm on another broken avenue
Trading in who I've been for shiny celebrity skin
I like to push it and push it until my luck is over
I wonder what you're doing
I wonder if you doubt it
I wonder how we used to ever go so long without it
All that works to impress
Charming girls out of their dresses smiling pretty
I'm right beside you
What you want, what you need
I'll make this perfect again
If I burn out and slip away
You're beautiful, you are
I've been here so very long
And I can slip into you
It's so easy to come back into you
I'll hide it, can I hide in you a while?
I'm not sick of you yet
Is that as good as it gets
I never took you for a trick but sometimes, I don't know what you want
I could take it if you need to take this out on someone
If this is just a part i portray
I don't know how it got this way
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
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,
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.
BEST SONG IN THE HISTORY OF LIFE!!!! like seriously i love how they combined all their songs into one big epic MASTERPIECE :D i think this is my fav on their masterpiece theater CD