"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.
If you had your time over again,
Would you do it all the same?
Down through all the twists and bends,
Are there moments you'd erase?
Or would you just leave me standing,
In the doorway frozen through?
Waiting on the coldest comfort from you.
If your course could be reset,
Would you steer your ship my way?
Or would you sail the wildest stretch?
Just to feel the force of the waves.
Or would you just leave me waving,
On the dock as you pull away?
Savouring the bitter taste.
The mirror reflect the illusion you make.
You can stop and take a breath,
Feel the damage's wake.
The mirror don't reflect the illusion you make.
You can stop and take a breath,
Feel the damage's wake.
Fade into silence,
Fade into silence,
Fade into silence, feel the damage's wake.
Fade into silence, feel the damage's wake.
Fade into silence, (If you had your time over again)
Fade into silence, (If you had your time over again)
Fade into silence, (Would you sail the wildest stretch?)
Fade into silence, (If you had your time over again)
Would you do it all the same?
Down through all the twists and bends,
Are there moments you'd erase?
Or would you just leave me standing,
In the doorway frozen through?
Waiting on the coldest comfort from you.
If your course could be reset,
Would you steer your ship my way?
Or would you sail the wildest stretch?
Just to feel the force of the waves.
Or would you just leave me waving,
On the dock as you pull away?
Savouring the bitter taste.
The mirror reflect the illusion you make.
You can stop and take a breath,
Feel the damage's wake.
The mirror don't reflect the illusion you make.
You can stop and take a breath,
Feel the damage's wake.
Fade into silence,
Fade into silence,
Fade into silence, feel the damage's wake.
Fade into silence, feel the damage's wake.
Fade into silence, (If you had your time over again)
Fade into silence, (If you had your time over again)
Fade into silence, (Would you sail the wildest stretch?)
Fade into silence, (If you had your time over again)
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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."
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.
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 increasingly narcissist vain world, where looks count or set the paradigm for a westerners' operational mood & status (aka 'the illusions you made' lyric line in this Sail The Wildest Stretch titled track), this song hits a 'wider conciousness wavelength alpha benchmark'.
The song is now a single, so steeped in 'I can hear & feel the emotion; that it feels like it is speaking to me' - traits that are typical of other ballad anthems Powderfinger have released & specialised in.
It's such a shame Bernard Fanning & band haven't reached a spectre & element of the superstardom reached by their 'musical genre compatriots' in Coldplay. Maybe that's why they broke up, no mass scale wider recognition & record company reward for effort & awe inspiring music.
Some of these lyrics are wrong, here is what they are according to the CD sleeve:
If you had your time over again Would you do it all the same? Down through all the twists and bends Are there moments you'd erase?
Would you just leave me standing in the doorway frozen through? Waiting on the coldest comfort from you
And if your course could be reset Would you steer your ship my way? Or would you sail the widest stretch Just to feel the force of the waves?
Would you just leave me waving On the dock as you pull away? Savouring the bitter taste
And if the mirror don't reflect the illusion you made You could stop and take a breath To feel the damage's weight.
Fade into silence
If you had your time over again If you had your time over again Would you sail the widest stretch? If you had your time over again
yeh those are the lyrics :) best powderfinger song i think
Also, I can't believe no one else has commented on this song, it's amazing.
It's very straightforward, if you had your time over again would you do it all the same? It's a song about regret, and it really shook me up this morning. For some reason it hit me hard, and for that, I love Powderfinger... such a shame they're breaking up.
alot of the powderfinger songs on this site havnt got alot of comments even though are a mint band, shame they are throwing it all in, wish i had tickets to their last show
Does anybody have any more detailed thoughts about this song? I absolutely love it, and although I know that a song can be whatever you want it to be, I was wondering if I could possibly be remotely on a realistic track with this interpretation: Yes it's about wondering if you made the best choices throughout your life. But could it also be about being in a relationship where you are going through a difficult time. Your partner has to choose - do they stay and stick it out with you (feel the force of the wind), or do they walk away (leave me standing in the doorway frozen through; waiting on the coldest comfort from you).
That's what I get from it. I've been dealing with depression and anxiety for about 2 years now and it's so hard on my husband. There was one point not too long ago where he was truly wondering if he could go through it all with me. So that's what I get.. anybody got any thoughts?