"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.
A river of tears runs through this town
From all the girls you've messed around
Those poor things never had a clue
What they were gettin' their selves into.
[Chorus]
You don't even care at all
How they feel
How far they fall
They're playin' such a reckless game
Boys like you give love a bad name
Ya, boys like you give love a bad name
Yeah you've got the moves
You've got the lines
Promise them it'll work out fine
Lead them on
Then drop them flat
Some may never cover from that
[Chorus]
Someday soon
I hope you'll see
How painful it can be
You'll meet a girl, yeah
Just like you
Then she'll break your heart into
Measure of a
Good man
Is something you don't understand
I don't think you ever could
Cause guys like you
Just ain't so good
You don't even care at all
How they feel
How far they fall
They're playin' such a reckless game
Boys like you give love a bad name
Ya, boys like you give love a bad
Yeah theres ice cold blood
Running through your veins
Yeah, boys like you give love a bad name
Yeah, boys like you give love a bad name
Give love a bad name
Yeah, boys like you give love a bad name
From all the girls you've messed around
Those poor things never had a clue
What they were gettin' their selves into.
[Chorus]
You don't even care at all
How they feel
How far they fall
They're playin' such a reckless game
Boys like you give love a bad name
Ya, boys like you give love a bad name
Yeah you've got the moves
You've got the lines
Promise them it'll work out fine
Lead them on
Then drop them flat
Some may never cover from that
[Chorus]
Someday soon
I hope you'll see
How painful it can be
You'll meet a girl, yeah
Just like you
Then she'll break your heart into
Measure of a
Good man
Is something you don't understand
I don't think you ever could
Cause guys like you
Just ain't so good
You don't even care at all
How they feel
How far they fall
They're playin' such a reckless game
Boys like you give love a bad name
Ya, boys like you give love a bad
Yeah theres ice cold blood
Running through your veins
Yeah, boys like you give love a bad name
Yeah, boys like you give love a bad name
Give love a bad name
Yeah, boys like you give love a bad name
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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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
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American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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