"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.
Loving you is easy
I can do it in my sleep
I dream of you so often
It's like you never leave
But you're gone below the border
With a nightmare in between
I'm sending the coyote
To bring you back to me
Where there's a fancy hotel waiting
In south San Gabriel
Where the movie madams sunbathe
The playboys para-sail
And I know you think I'm crazy
But most people they can't tell
So I'll meet you there tomorrow
If I can have you to myself
Inside the time I tried to occupy or waste
Since you've been away
It's hard our plans are stalled on calling cards
I can't see your poker face
While your voice is sounding so brave
Our Lady Guadalupe
In plaster on the wall
Joseph Smith saw Jesus in America
Well I don't know much about it
It doesn't matter much at all
Just keep your head down lady
As you travel through the dark
And if I should seem distracted
By the color of the sky
As a copper wire sunset plays a lullaby
It's just to know they've stolen
Another day from you and I
It gets me feeling low down
When the moon is fulling high
They bait the route
To take the place that's safe
That you might wait a day
A lonesome broken dawn
That finally comes
Just as I was losing faith
You keep every promise you make
Loving you is easy
I can do it in my sleep
I dream of you so often
It's like you never leave
But you're gone below the border
With a nightmare in between
So I'm sending the coyote
To bring you back to me
Yes I'm sending the coyote
To bring you back to me
I can do it in my sleep
I dream of you so often
It's like you never leave
But you're gone below the border
With a nightmare in between
I'm sending the coyote
To bring you back to me
Where there's a fancy hotel waiting
In south San Gabriel
Where the movie madams sunbathe
The playboys para-sail
And I know you think I'm crazy
But most people they can't tell
So I'll meet you there tomorrow
If I can have you to myself
Inside the time I tried to occupy or waste
Since you've been away
It's hard our plans are stalled on calling cards
I can't see your poker face
While your voice is sounding so brave
Our Lady Guadalupe
In plaster on the wall
Joseph Smith saw Jesus in America
Well I don't know much about it
It doesn't matter much at all
Just keep your head down lady
As you travel through the dark
And if I should seem distracted
By the color of the sky
As a copper wire sunset plays a lullaby
It's just to know they've stolen
Another day from you and I
It gets me feeling low down
When the moon is fulling high
They bait the route
To take the place that's safe
That you might wait a day
A lonesome broken dawn
That finally comes
Just as I was losing faith
You keep every promise you make
Loving you is easy
I can do it in my sleep
I dream of you so often
It's like you never leave
But you're gone below the border
With a nightmare in between
So I'm sending the coyote
To bring you back to me
Yes I'm sending the coyote
To bring you back to me
Lyrics submitted by Kashika
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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,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
I love this song. It somehow singlehandedly captures the joy of being in love, and the frustration with not being able to see that person. It's a very accessible tune to anyone, but still manages to stay on topic with the sound strike it was written for.
I mean... Loving you is easy- I can do it in my sleep. I dream of you so often it's like you never leave. But you're gone below the border with a nightmare in between. I'm sending the coyote to bring you back to me.
There's a fancy hotel waiting In south San Gabriel Where the movie madams sunbathe, the playboys parasail. And I know you think I'm crazy, but most people they can't tell. So I'll meet you there tomorrow, If I can have you to myself.
Inside the time I tried to occupy or waste since you've been away, It's hard. Our plan's are stalled. On calling cards, I can't see your Poker face, while your voice is sounding so brave.
Our Lady Guadalupe in plaster on the wall, Joseph Smith saw Jesus in America. Well I don't know much about it. It doesn't matter much at all. Just keep your head down lady as you travel through the dark.
If I should seem distracted by the color of the sky as a copper wire sunset plays a lullaby. It's just to know they've stolen another day from you and I. It gets me feeling low down when the moon is full and high.
They bait the route to take the place that's safe that you might wait a day. The lonesome broken dawn, it finally comes just as I was losing faith, You keep every promise you make.
Loving you is easy- I can do it in my sleep. I dream of you so often it's like you never leave. But you're gone below the border with a nightmare in between. So I'm sending the coyote to bring you back to me. Yes, I'm sending the coyote to bring you back to me. I think these lyrics are slightly more correct, although I wouldn't have submitted them, if Kashika hadn't done such an excellent job in the first place.
Ah yeah, that makes more sense, corrected it, thanks! :)
"coyote" is the term used for a guide that is hired to lead someone safely across the us/mex border.
A few corrections
South san Gabriel
Copper wire sunset
And the last chorus seems kind of out of wack
Been fake We're out to take A place that's safe That you might wait a day
A lonesome broken dawn That finally comes Just as I was losing faith You keep every promise you make
Other than that, awesome job :) High five!
Thanks! And I edited in your corrections, thanks for that and high five back! :)
Hey, nice job! I think the line is "Joseph Smith saw Jesus in America. "
From the BBC Religions website:
"Mormons believe that the resurrected Jesus ministered to the Nephites in America. He appeared before a congregation in their temple, and allowed them to feel the wounds in his hands and feet.
He stayed with them for several days, teaching and healing.
He called and ordained twelve disciples, and gave the people various commandments and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Jesus Christ also appeared to Joseph Smith in New York State in 1820 in what is known as the First Vision. He appeared to Joseph Smith on several other occasions.
Jesus Christ has appeared to other Church leaders, for example in 1898 and in 1918."
Okay, I'll edit that as well, thanks for correcting :)
"Loving you is easy, I can do it in my sleep."
I wish I had come up with that, so that I could use it and not feel like a cheap, personality-less rip off.
This is so melodically and lyrically perfect, I've been listening to it on repeat all day...the pedal steel just blows me away.
I have very high hopes for the new album <3
Loving you is easy- I can do it in my sleep. I dream of you so often it's like you never leave. But you're gone below the border with a nightmare in between. I'm sending the coyote to bring you back to me.
There's a fancy hotel waiting In south San Gabriel Where the movie madams sunbathe, the playboys parasail. And I know you think I'm crazy, but most people they can't tell. So I'll meet you there tomorrow, If I can have you to myself.
Inside the time I tried to occupy or waste since you've been away, It's hard. Our plan's are stalled. On calling cards, I can't see your Poker face, while your voice is sounding so brave.
Our Lady Guadalupe in plaster on the wall, Joseph Smith saw Jesus in America. Well I don't know much about it. It doesn't matter much at all. Just keep your head down lady as you travel through the dark.
If I should seem distracted by the color of the sky as a copper wire sunset plays a lullaby. It's just to know they've stolen another day from you and I. It gets me feeling low down when the moon is full and high.
They bait the route to take the place that's safe that you might wait a day. The lonesome broken dawn, it finally comes just as I was losing faith. You keep every promise you make.
Loving you is easy- I can do it in my sleep. I dream of you so often it's like you never leave. But you're gone below the border with a nightmare in between. So I'm sending the coyote to bring you back to me. Yes, I'm sending the coyote to bring you back to me.
I know that this song is obviously trying to drive a point home about immigration reform. Yet, I feel that it can translate into any long-distance relationship. The line "it's hard our plans are stalled on calling cards" sums up the main point of the song for me. The speaker has to hold onto the faith of their partner while they can't even see their face.
Very beautiful song, despite how sad it is. I have a friend who is being forced to go back to her country for three years before trying to get a new visa. It's a ridiculous situation, as her lawyer is the one who messed things up, and I relate to how Conor feels.