"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 been waiting for months, waiting for years, waiting for you to change.
Aw, but there ain't much that's dumber, there ain't much that's dumber
than pinning your hopes on a change in another.
And I, yeah I still need you, but what good's that gonna do?
Needing is one thing, and getting, getting's another.
So I been sitting around, wasting my time, wondering what you been doing.
Aw, and it ain't real forgiving, it ain't real forgiving sitting here picturing someone else living.
And I, yeah I still need you, but what good's that gonna do?
Needing is one thing, and getting, getting's another.
I've been hoping for months, hoping for years, hoping I might forget.
Aw but it don't get much dumber, it don't get much dumber
than trying to forget a girl when you love her.
And I, yeah I still need you, but what good's that gonna do?
Needing is one thing, and getting, getting's another.
When? When? Why not now? Why not me? Why not me?
Aw, but there ain't much that's dumber, there ain't much that's dumber
than pinning your hopes on a change in another.
And I, yeah I still need you, but what good's that gonna do?
Needing is one thing, and getting, getting's another.
So I been sitting around, wasting my time, wondering what you been doing.
Aw, and it ain't real forgiving, it ain't real forgiving sitting here picturing someone else living.
And I, yeah I still need you, but what good's that gonna do?
Needing is one thing, and getting, getting's another.
I've been hoping for months, hoping for years, hoping I might forget.
Aw but it don't get much dumber, it don't get much dumber
than trying to forget a girl when you love her.
And I, yeah I still need you, but what good's that gonna do?
Needing is one thing, and getting, getting's another.
When? When? Why not now? Why not me? Why not me?
Lyrics submitted by Nannerpuss42
Needing/Getting Lyrics as written by Timothy Nordwind Damian Kulash
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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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,
This song really speaks for itself. Seems to be a simple story of a man's pilgrimage to love, only to take the wrong turn and end up in the friend zone.
"I've been waiting for months, waiting for years, waiting for you to change. Aw, but there ain't much that's dumber, there ain't much that's dumber than pinning your hopes on a change in another. "
Guy loves this girl, wants to be more than friends, and hopes every day that she'll look at him the same way he does, but she never will.
And I, yeah I still need you, but what good's that gonna do? Needing is one thing, and getting- getting's another.
He's torn apart by not being with her; he needs to be with her or he feels like he's missing a piece of his life, but he's never going to get her.
So I been sitting around, wasting my time, wondering what you been doing. Aw, and it ain't real forgiving, it ain't real forgiving sitting here picturing someone else living. And I, yeah I still need you, but what good's that gonna do? Needing is one thing, and getting- getting's another.
Guy's sitting at home, thinking of how happy she is doing something without him, and imagining how happy he know she'd be if they were together. Again, he needs it, but he just won't get it.
I've been hoping for months, hoping for years, hoping I might forget. Aw but it don't get much dumber, it don't get much dumber than trying to forget a girl when you love her. And I, yeah I still need you, but what good's that gonna do? Needing is one thing, and getting- getting's another.
My favorite part, a lot of people can relate to this. Now, he's trying to just forget her and move on with his life; but he knows it's not that simple, and that it's going to be one of the hardest things he's ever done, because he will keep thinking about how much he loves her.
When? When? Why not now? Why not me? Why not me?
Stereotypical final thoughts that constantly go through his head that he really knows the answer to; she doesn't love him.
I may be wrong, sometimes I relate songs to what I'm going through at the moment, bu I'm pretty sure I'm right. Great song, my favorite track off Of the Blue Colour of the Sky