"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.
I was born without a name, a soldier for
The streets, they say, "This kid's on a mission
Running high on fame of the guillotine
No roots to find, and no one to miss him"
My head is like a flame
Well we all get strange
And we know it
But we're cool with it
And we all get a little bit older
In this day and age
But we deal with it
My heart's shaking with a fire burning deep inside
Still the politicians, they never listen
But money was a sound I didn't care to hear
Of which the politicians, they only listen
My head was like a flame
And my eyes were red
Well we all get strange
And we know it
But we're cool with it
And we all get a little bit older
In this day and age
But we deal with it
My head was like a flame
It was burning up, burning up
It was burning up
My head was like a flame
It was burning up, burning up
It was burning up
I became a child of the universe
Reborn into this galactic prism
My head was like a flame
My eyes, my eyes were red
Well we all get strange
And we know it
But we're cool with it
And we all get a little bit older
In this day and age
But we deal with it
My head was like a flame
It was burning up, burning up
It was burning up
My head was like a flame
It was burning up, burning up
It was burning up
My head was like a flame
My head was like a flame
My head was like a flame
Head was like a flame
The streets, they say, "This kid's on a mission
Running high on fame of the guillotine
No roots to find, and no one to miss him"
My head is like a flame
Well we all get strange
And we know it
But we're cool with it
And we all get a little bit older
In this day and age
But we deal with it
My heart's shaking with a fire burning deep inside
Still the politicians, they never listen
But money was a sound I didn't care to hear
Of which the politicians, they only listen
My head was like a flame
And my eyes were red
Well we all get strange
And we know it
But we're cool with it
And we all get a little bit older
In this day and age
But we deal with it
My head was like a flame
It was burning up, burning up
It was burning up
My head was like a flame
It was burning up, burning up
It was burning up
I became a child of the universe
Reborn into this galactic prism
My head was like a flame
My eyes, my eyes were red
Well we all get strange
And we know it
But we're cool with it
And we all get a little bit older
In this day and age
But we deal with it
My head was like a flame
It was burning up, burning up
It was burning up
My head was like a flame
It was burning up, burning up
It was burning up
My head was like a flame
My head was like a flame
My head was like a flame
Head was like a flame
Lyrics submitted by TheFourthHouse
Head Is a Flame (Cool with It) Lyrics as written by John Baldwin Gourley
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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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.
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.
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,
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.
This album is my bible.
My interpretation is we all conform and start to believe in these fucked up things we never thought we'd believe in. We lose sight of the bigger picture and instead focus on the bullshit that doesn't add up to life in anyway. Rank, wealth, power, possession, power. We don't know any better though because we forget (or no longer care) about what we originally thought. "We're cool with it" because we don't realize or remember there ever being an alternative. The things that really matter fall by the wayside as we're thrown into society. We end up conforming to the point that we become just like the group that created what we are. Thus the cycle continues. We will trap more people and on and on..
"I became a child of the universe Reborn into this galactic prism"
But this person now understands the true importance of life. By saying prism he recognizes the intricacies of life. He realizes that there's more to life than what he's been told. Accordingly, he's been "reborn" because he now understands what really matters. He no longer has the fog of society clouding his vision.
I think you hit the nail on the head here. Thanks for this!
Taken from the deluxe CD booklet:
I was born without a name A soldier for The streets they say This kid's on a mission Running high on fame of the guillotine No roots to find and no one to miss him
My head is like a flame
Well we all get strange And we know it But we're cool with it And we all get a little bit older In this day and age But we deal with it
Shaking with a fire burning deep inside Still the politicians they never listen Blood money was a sound I didn't care to hear Of which the politicians they only listen
My head is like a flame And my eyes were red
Well we all get strange And we know it But we're cool with it And we all get a little bit older In this day and age But we deal with it
My head was like a flame It was burning up, burning up It was burning up My head was like a flame It was burning up, burning up It was burning up
I became a child of the universe Reborn into this galactic prism
My head was like a flame Ah, my eyes were red
Well we all get strange And we know it But we're cool with it And we all get a little bit older In this day and age But we deal with it
My head was like a flame It was burning up, burning up It was burning up My head was like a flame It was burning up, burning up It was burning up
My head was like a flame My head was like a flame My head was like a flame My head was like a flame
running high, a flame with the guillotine
Whoops! Didn't mean to add in power twice. (although it makes sense because we're seriously into that especially in america..)
It tells the story of a child born into a contrived life and his path to enlightenment, escaping the boundaries of expected societal norms and realizing true freedom. Growing up he is molded into following a certain path, but through his own experiences starts to feel this burning sensation in his head. Something is "strange" and unnatural about what he is supposed to care about, especially money. What is this paper that people will do almost anything to acquire? Apathy and anger builds over the constructed trivial nature of human existence. This sensation moves from the head to the entire body until it is bursting from his eyes. He sees everything around him for what it actually is. He is reborn as a child of the universe. He is enlightened and now engrossed with what he sees to be truth and natural. Notice the change to the past tense... "My head was a flame". He is at peace with his existence and has rediscovered himself and what it means to be alive.
Personally it seems like a story about someone who feels like society at large doesn't care about him and he has little control in life. The lines "I was born without a name A soldier for The streets they say"..." No roots to find and no one to miss him"..."Still the politicians they never listen Blood money was a sound I didn't care to hear of which the politicians they only listen" seem to show that. However with lines "I became a child of the universe Your born into this galactic prison" and "Well, we all get strange And we know it But we're cool with it And we all get a little bit older In this day and age But we deal with it" seem to imply that he found a way to deal with it