"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.
Your brown eyes are my blue skies.
They light up the rivers that the birds fly over.
Better not to quench your thirst.
Better not to be the first one diving in,
Though you caught me and you know why
You breathe in the deepest part of the water.
What's the matter? You hurt yourself?
Open your eyes and there was someone else
Now I've got you in the undertow.
Now I've got you in the undertow.
Why you wanna blame me for your troubles?
Ah ah ah you better learn your lesson yourself.
Nobody ever has to find out what's in my mind tonight.
Let tonight pass us by.
Do you really want to be the one to fight?
And I said "You're better not to light that fire.
It will take you to the darkest part of the weather."
What's the matter? You hurt yourself?
Open your eyes and there was someone else
Now I've got you in the undertow.
Now I've got you in the undertow.
Why you wanna blame me for your troubles?
Ah ah ah you better learn your lesson yourself.
Nobody ever has to find out what's in my mind tonight.
Nobody ever has to find out what's in my mind tonight.
Nobody in my mind. Nobody in my mind.
I feel it in my heart tonight.
I lay on the floor, pressing in my eyes.
Seeing little lights.
Please light these decisions that only one could make
I wanted to stay home but I went running running running running from the troubles
Running running running running from the troubles
Running running running running from the troubles
Running, running, running...
What's the matter? You hurt yourself?
Opened your eyes and there was someone else?
Now I've got you in the undertow
Now I've got you so
Why you wanna blame me for your troubles?
Ah ah ah you better learn your lesson yourself.
Nobody ever has to find out what's in my mind tonight.
I went running running running running from the troubles
Running, running, running...
They light up the rivers that the birds fly over.
Better not to quench your thirst.
Better not to be the first one diving in,
Though you caught me and you know why
You breathe in the deepest part of the water.
What's the matter? You hurt yourself?
Open your eyes and there was someone else
Now I've got you in the undertow.
Now I've got you in the undertow.
Why you wanna blame me for your troubles?
Ah ah ah you better learn your lesson yourself.
Nobody ever has to find out what's in my mind tonight.
Let tonight pass us by.
Do you really want to be the one to fight?
And I said "You're better not to light that fire.
It will take you to the darkest part of the weather."
What's the matter? You hurt yourself?
Open your eyes and there was someone else
Now I've got you in the undertow.
Now I've got you in the undertow.
Why you wanna blame me for your troubles?
Ah ah ah you better learn your lesson yourself.
Nobody ever has to find out what's in my mind tonight.
Nobody ever has to find out what's in my mind tonight.
Nobody in my mind. Nobody in my mind.
I feel it in my heart tonight.
I lay on the floor, pressing in my eyes.
Seeing little lights.
Please light these decisions that only one could make
I wanted to stay home but I went running running running running from the troubles
Running running running running from the troubles
Running running running running from the troubles
Running, running, running...
What's the matter? You hurt yourself?
Opened your eyes and there was someone else?
Now I've got you in the undertow
Now I've got you so
Why you wanna blame me for your troubles?
Ah ah ah you better learn your lesson yourself.
Nobody ever has to find out what's in my mind tonight.
I went running running running running from the troubles
Running, running, running...
Lyrics submitted by kittenchowmein
Undertow Lyrics as written by Jennifer Lee Lindberg Emily Camille Kokal
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
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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.
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/
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
i think throughout the song the singer is singing in third person
"Your brown eyes are my blue skies. They light up the rivers that the birds fly over. Better not to quench your thirst. Better not to be the first one diving in, though you caught me and you know why you breathe in the deepest part of the water."
basically she's saying do not fall in love with this guy even though he's so wonderful "What's the matter? You hurt yourself? Open your eyes and there was someone else Now i've got you in the undertow. Now i've got you in the undertow. Why you wanna blame me for your troubles? Ah ah ah you better learn your lesson yourself. Nobody ever has to find out what's in my mind tonight."
and this stanza she's taunting herself because i guess she did fall in love, even though she didn't want too because she knew he was going to be a disappointment turns out he is, he isn't who she thought he'd be
pretty much unrequited love she loves him, but he doesn't love her or she fell in love, and now is regretting because it's not what she thought it would be now she's hurt, and she's like "i warned you" to herself now her emotion have ahold of her, and are puling her in
and she asking herself why blame her emotions, she cannot help it and she telling herself to learn the lesson on her own and not to drag the guy into it, because he isn't to blame but herself because she didn't listen to her intuition in the first place
and basically it's a internal battle, and no one knows that she's having this struggle inside her head no one knows she's hurt individual vs them self kind of thing
"Let tonight pass us by. Do you really want to be the one to fight? And i said "You're better not to light that fire. It will take you to the darkest part of the weather." she's saying, let this night just end don't have to remember anything do not have to do anything just going to waste away tonight she asking herself, do i really want to fight for this guy try to have him i told myself not to let something happen because it's only going to end up bad
"Nobody in my mind. Nobody in my mind. I feel it in my heart tonight."
she's trying to convince herself to let go and crap but she still feels this love for him in her heart
"I lay on the floor, pressing in my eyes. Seeing little lights. Please light these decisions that only one could make I wanted to stay home but i went running running running running from the troubles running running running running from the troubles running running running running from the troubles runningrunningrunningrunningrunningrunningrunningrunningrunningrunning"
basically the entire song is brain vs heart, do i listen to my brain or to my heart she mentions that only one could make the decision but she doesn't know which one
so she decided not to make a decision and just run