"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 seen people losing all of their faith
Before they knew what they were looking for
I swore I'd never ever do it again
'til this day
Words are all I have, to give, to you
You never seem to see it my way
Standing in the shadows I hear, people say
I got confessions to make, listen up!
No one sleeps when I'm awake
The dreams I dream the song I sing for you
They're coming from my heart
Is my message getting through?
You know it hurt so bad just
Like I knew that it would
But I'd do it again, do it again if I could
Do it again if I could
I don't think you know what it's like
You should be careful what you're wishing for
And try to set your ego aside, you will find
A false peace of mind you fall
Behind and everybody's getting tired of you
Standing in the shadows I hear, people say
I got confessions to make, listen up!
No one sleeps when I'm awake
The dreams I dream the song I sing for you
They're coming from my heart
Is my message getting through?
You know it hurt so bad just
Like I knew that it would
But I'd do it again, do it again if I could
Do it again if I could
Hey! hey! hey! I want you
To know, know, know, know
Hey, hey hey hey!
'Cause the dreams that I dream and
The songs that I sing
When I lost myself it had a different meaning
Shut down and closed imagine all of those
Hundreds of dreams taking place around you
It hurt so bad just like I knew that it would
But I'd do it again, do it again if I could
But I'd do it again, do it again if I could
I'd do it again, I'd do it again
I'd do it again i'd do it again if I could
Before they knew what they were looking for
I swore I'd never ever do it again
'til this day
Words are all I have, to give, to you
You never seem to see it my way
Standing in the shadows I hear, people say
I got confessions to make, listen up!
No one sleeps when I'm awake
The dreams I dream the song I sing for you
They're coming from my heart
Is my message getting through?
You know it hurt so bad just
Like I knew that it would
But I'd do it again, do it again if I could
Do it again if I could
I don't think you know what it's like
You should be careful what you're wishing for
And try to set your ego aside, you will find
A false peace of mind you fall
Behind and everybody's getting tired of you
Standing in the shadows I hear, people say
I got confessions to make, listen up!
No one sleeps when I'm awake
The dreams I dream the song I sing for you
They're coming from my heart
Is my message getting through?
You know it hurt so bad just
Like I knew that it would
But I'd do it again, do it again if I could
Do it again if I could
Hey! hey! hey! I want you
To know, know, know, know
Hey, hey hey hey!
'Cause the dreams that I dream and
The songs that I sing
When I lost myself it had a different meaning
Shut down and closed imagine all of those
Hundreds of dreams taking place around you
It hurt so bad just like I knew that it would
But I'd do it again, do it again if I could
But I'd do it again, do it again if I could
I'd do it again, I'd do it again
I'd do it again i'd do it again if I could
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
In an interview with Shockhound (you can google it) Maja said the song is about their dreams about becoming a successful band. And even though the journey to become one has been hard and hurt so bad at times along the way, they would still do it all over again.
Recently though, this song took on a slightly new meaning for me. I've been struggling with very severe depression that I believe was set me off this time around by my turning 29 soon and feeling like I still have no purpose, reason for being here, no direction, no idea who I am, etc. (along with other very serious underlying issues). I have/had all these dreams and aspirations but have never quite been able to make them a reality due to my knack for screwing up and making bad choices. I finally got to a point where I was at the end of my rope and this song was a major inpsiration to me to hold on and keep going.
- The dreams I dream the song I sing for you They’re coming from my heart Is my message getting through? You know it hurt so bad just like I knew that it would But I’d do it again, do it again if I could Do it again if I could
That part was really inspirational to me because I feel like she's saying that this song was written especially for me and telling me that she knows what it's like to be in this place and that even though it was tough and "hurt so bad," she'd do it again because in the end, it was worth it and that I will eventually feel the same if I can hold on. Through the verses, I feel like she's basically talking about this experience of her and other people being lost and what it feels like.
This part is super interesting to me because of how this song has recently taken on a different meaning for me, the first 2 lines in particular:
- ‘Cause the dreams that I dream and the songs that I sing When I lost myself it had a different meaning Shut down and closed imagine all of those Hundreds of dreams taking place around you
And that is why I'm so glad I have music to get me through this sh*t. I wouldn't be here without it.
Very good song. It reminded me how much I've missed to listen to The Sounds.
i know!!!!! aaHHH i can't wait 'til august!!! well, i guess maja's giving us hearty advice :) they are too amazing.
I can't stop listening to this song. I make it louder and louder each time. Right now I'm dedicated to learning the lyrics so I can sing it as loud as I can in my car. I'm trying to decide what I think the song is about. What are your theories??
pretty song ^^
I remember whenever this song started playing on satellite radio, I would BLAST it haha great song! Great band! Can't wait until they come to Cleveland after the new album!