"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 in a big gray cloud
Screaming out a love song
All the broken chords and unnamed cries
What a place to come from
I wish to remain nameless
And live without shame
'Cause what's in a name, Oh
I still remain the same
You can call it what you want
You can call me anything you want
You can call us what you want
You can call me anything you want
Everybody lets you down
In this brief hole of a town
What a difference of the rushing out
Tell me what you're running from
I know everybody lets you down
I'll do the same
But know I'll always be around
This can remain the same
Call me when you need me
Call me anything you want
Darling, believe me
Nothing I haven't done before
Call me when you need me, call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Darling, believe me, darling, believe me
Darling, believe me, darling believe me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Darling, believe me, darling believe me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Screaming out a love song
All the broken chords and unnamed cries
What a place to come from
I wish to remain nameless
And live without shame
'Cause what's in a name, Oh
I still remain the same
You can call it what you want
You can call me anything you want
You can call us what you want
You can call me anything you want
Everybody lets you down
In this brief hole of a town
What a difference of the rushing out
Tell me what you're running from
I know everybody lets you down
I'll do the same
But know I'll always be around
This can remain the same
Call me when you need me
Call me anything you want
Darling, believe me
Nothing I haven't done before
Call me when you need me, call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Darling, believe me, darling, believe me
Darling, believe me, darling believe me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Darling, believe me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Darling, believe me, darling believe me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
Call me when you need me
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
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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
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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.
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."
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.
This song is such a great example of Florence's lyrics having simple and profound meanings at the same time.
I take this song in it's most simplest meaning, considering that the music is so representative of our most basic emotional/sexual needs.
She is basically saying she doesn't care what anyone wants to label this affair as, she just wants to make it clear of what it is not. Also, she doesn't want to put a label on the relationship either ("remain nameless") because it would only lead to dissappointment/confusion/expectations.
The relationship is "born from a big gray cloud, screaming out a love song" the cloud is emotional trauma from past experience from both people (a likely cuplrit of the individuals ending up in this circumstance) and "screaming out a love song" represents that they are romantics. later, in the lyrics, she sings "I know everybody lets you down, I'll do the same" again a reminder of being let down in past relationships and that if the other person expects a commitment, she will do the same.
"Call me when you need me Call me anything you want Darling, believe me Nothing I haven't done before
Call me when you need me, call me when you need me Call me when you need me Darling, believe me, darling, believe me Darling, believe me, darling believe me"
Is just reinforcing her affirmation that she will be there, and there aren't any strings attached.
"call me anything you want" is basically stating to the other person that they have free reign to make sense of it however they feel they need to.
I think it is a really simple concept, however it is very complex when you think of it in the context of our social norms. I think relationships would start off better from honest one night stands than they would from all of the bullshit and lying that occurs when everyone is trying so hard to get somebody to like them. The first step would be to learn how to emotionally respond to the word "no", but I digress.