"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.
All your precious souls
have been bought and sold
for bargain basement lows
to common criminals
So you are having visions
adverse flying conditions
overseas transmissions
to anyone who will listen
You're waiting for the drums to kick in
you want to free your earthbound limbs
I am gonna count to three
then you are leaving here with me
Are we wasting all our precious time?
chasing dollars chasing dimes
German English Japanese
all the sand in all the seas
it's all in place
it's all laid out
and as we speak it's going down
oh don't forget me
regretfully
here's the part that always gets me
You float across the room
your lips are in full bloom
petals fall from your mouth
have you found me out?
you've been here before
along the civil war
I'll wait religiously
don't forget that you came here with me
Are we wasting all our precious time?
chasing dollars chasing dimes
German English Japanese
all the sand in all the seas
it's all in place
it's all laid out
and as we speak it's going down
oh don't forget me
regretfully
here's the part that always gets me
have been bought and sold
for bargain basement lows
to common criminals
So you are having visions
adverse flying conditions
overseas transmissions
to anyone who will listen
You're waiting for the drums to kick in
you want to free your earthbound limbs
I am gonna count to three
then you are leaving here with me
Are we wasting all our precious time?
chasing dollars chasing dimes
German English Japanese
all the sand in all the seas
it's all in place
it's all laid out
and as we speak it's going down
oh don't forget me
regretfully
here's the part that always gets me
You float across the room
your lips are in full bloom
petals fall from your mouth
have you found me out?
you've been here before
along the civil war
I'll wait religiously
don't forget that you came here with me
Are we wasting all our precious time?
chasing dollars chasing dimes
German English Japanese
all the sand in all the seas
it's all in place
it's all laid out
and as we speak it's going down
oh don't forget me
regretfully
here's the part that always gets me
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
(Lyrics from the cd case) All your precious souls have been bought and sold for bargain basement lows to common criminals
Now you are having visions Adverse flying conditions over seas transmissions to anyone who will listen
Waiting for the drums to kick in you want to free your earthbound limbs I am gonna count to three then you are leaving here with me
Are we wasting all our precious time? Chasing dollars chasing dimes german english japanese all the sand in all the seas it's all in place it's all laid out as we speak it's going down Oh don't forget me regretfully Here's the part that always gets me
You float across the room your lips are in full bloom pedals fall from your mouth have you found me out?
we've been here before a lovers civil war I will wait religiously don't forget you came here with me
Are we wasting all of our time? Chasing dollars chasing dimes.....
thank you - I have fixed the lyrics!