"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.
It's been a long, long time since I've memorized your face
It's been four hours now since I've wandered through your place
And when I sleep on your couch I feel very safe
And when you bring the blankets I cover up my face
I do love you
I do love you
And when you play guitar I listen to the strings buzz
The metal vibrates underneath your fingers
And when you crochet I feel mesmerized and proud
And I would say I love you, but saying it out loud
It's hard so I won't say it at all
And I won't stay very long
But you are the life I needed all along
I think of you as my brother
Although that sounds dumb
And words are futile devices
It's been four hours now since I've wandered through your place
And when I sleep on your couch I feel very safe
And when you bring the blankets I cover up my face
I do love you
I do love you
And when you play guitar I listen to the strings buzz
The metal vibrates underneath your fingers
And when you crochet I feel mesmerized and proud
And I would say I love you, but saying it out loud
It's hard so I won't say it at all
And I won't stay very long
But you are the life I needed all along
I think of you as my brother
Although that sounds dumb
And words are futile devices
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
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.
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."
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,
My first impression was that this was about a former lover, or even an estranged lover. Now I wonder if he is singing to someone who has always been a platonic friend. For many single people, the most important relationships in their lives are friendships, not love affairs. How many of us fail to tell our best friends how much we love them?
This song, this whole album, is just beautiful.
@sushisouschef I'm someone who is eternally single. By choice, mostly, since I'm quite happy on my own. And this song really speaks to me. Because I have so many friends whom I love so much. And saying it out loud or saying they're like a sibling to me, sounds kinda dumb. I don't know if that's what he meant by this song, but at least that's what I hear and what makes me happy.
I do not think this song is written from the perspective of a lover to Sufjan, and that it is definitely written from Sufjan's perspective. The speaker has great admiration for the subject of the song. He is "mesmerized" by the person, "proud" of him/her, and is completely in love with this person. It would seem quite conceited if Sufjan wrote this song from the perspective of someone else to himself. Just because Sufjan palys guitar and crochets does not mean he is the object of admiration. Rather, his love of guitar and crocheting would make his admiration of this lover even greater.
On a side note: Sufjan's sexuality is irrelevant in this song. The theme is Sufjan's inability to express his love and admiration of another person with words because they are only futile devices. Whether or not his lover is a man or a woman has no affect on the theme.
i think he is gay but doesn't want to be too precise about it, since as an artist you get easily reduced to your homosexuality and before you know it, "gay" is the first thing that comes to people's minds when they hear your name, not your music. but he still doesn't want to completely deny his identity and probably finds it goofy to write a song about a boy and then to just replace every "he" with a "she".
i'm just wondering if he wouldn't try to avoid all this ambiguity, if he was actually straight. but maybe it's just too much fun for him to follow such silly discussions as this one ;)
the age of adz is beautiful, btw.
The entire album "Age of Adz" is the story of schizophrenic artist Royal Robertson (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Robertson). If you're detecting homosexual undertones in this song, they're about Royal. Sufjan seems to rarely right about his own life in these concept albums like Illinois and Age. Michigan (where he was born) and Seven Swans are much more autobiographical than his most recent albums.
being happy and almost satisfied enough with just a secret unrequited love.
BECAUSE YOU ARE THE LIFE THAT I NEEDED ALL ALONG
that's what it means to me.
Why are you all in such denial that Sufjan could be gay or bisexual? Obviously no one can know for sure unless he comes out, but do you really think he would make so many of his lyrics so sexually ambiguous if he was straight? You guys seem really desperate to rationalize away the gay undertones in this and several other of his songs.
The theory that Futile Devices is about platonic love directly contradicts some of the heavily romantic lyrics. If you love someone in a platonic way, why would you "memorize their face"? That clearly indicates physical attraction.
I also disagree with the theory that the song is written from someone else's perspective or that the perspective changes midway through the song. Sufjan does crochet, yes, but don't you think that the reason he's "proud" could be because he taught the other person how to crochet? Also -- lots of people play guitar besides Sufjan. There is simply not enough information provided for anyone to reasonably assume that line is written about Sufjan from his lover's perspective.
I think I've made my point -- y'all should at least entertain the possibility that he could be gay.
Of course he COULD be. But that doesn't mean he is just because he's single and some of his lyrics are sexually ambiguous.
True. I was just trying to make the point that some people were going to extraordinary lengths just to deny the possibility.
I memorize my father's face. I feel mesmerized and proud when I watch my best friend crochet. My favorite teacher was the life I needed all along. And I'm not sure you made a point at all in your post, just saying...
you are so correct.
hi i like your username bye
I realize that a lot of the conversation on this song deals with Sufjan's sexual orientation. Yet, while this album is supposed to be much more deeply personal than his "state albums," I don't feel that this is entirely what is important in the song. This song marks an abrupt change in the style of his lyrics. Yes, on the surface, the comment to the person being referred to as a brother consists of the words being referred to as "futile," but I think that what this song is indicating is the reason for the change in his lyrics. We have all read that he suffered an existential crisis between Illinois and Age of Adz, and I think what is being indicated is his loss of confidence in the power of words, which is why this record is so much more sparsely written than his older ones--he is sick of people talking so much and saying nothing. Words have become futile in some way. And it would also explain the drastic change in the style of the song titles.
It's incredibly homophobic that people freak out at the mere suggestion that Sufjan's songs contain homosexual desire. Saying it out loud is hard.
It's probably because many of the so-called "Christians" can't get their minds around that the fact that someone can be spiritual, moral and gay. It just goes against the BS narrative that they've been fed for so long.
Gay sex is immoral to Christians because it is God's Truth. You can disect it with your secular eyes all you want, but God and the Bible are/were very clear on homosexual acts. The person is not hated, but the sin (the act) is. Yes, you can be spiritual and be a sinner for all Chritians are human...and sin in many ways.
People are having such a hard time denying all homoerotic interpretation Sufjan's songs could have. If they're not from the perspective of a woman it's about Jesus. Come on!
For that to work Sufjan friend-zoned a man who also croquets and plays guitar. huh?
(I know men that crochet)
yes. and he loves him, because they have so much in common ;-)
Actually, Sufjan said that he knits in a recent interview.
Cooby's argument makes no sense. The "homoerotic" songs that people have said are about Jesus ARE about Jesus. And I do think he sings from other perspectives sometimes. I'm not sure which the case is in this song, but come on- I'm tired of the is he or isn't he gay debate.
it's an outing, guys. accept it.
I think that is most plausible but just to play devil's advocate it could be about his actual brother (Marzuki?), a girl (brother sounds dumb because its ironic), or I dunno...
what a funny guy you are Laszlo. Do you have any fact to support your claim? Either way I wouldn't have any problem. The guy makes amazing music.
So regardless of which sex he is referencing in the song, I think it is about being with someone for quite some time and in the beginning you memorize their face, where beauty marks are, etc. And this song is a realization that after some time, he is still very much in love with this person but cannot express it as it is useless even trying. So he writes this song instead to express. And as for the brother part, maybe it is because he has been with the individual for a lengthy amount of time so it feels like they've grown up together in many ways. Like they have always been there. Like a sibling. I don't think this song is about Jesus and it shouldn't matter about which gender it is about though the obvious use of brother gives it a male connotation.