"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.
when i sleep, i'm dreaming
when i sleep, i'm dreaming
when i sleep, i'm dreaming for you
feel my heart it's aching
wish i could stop breaking
spend all day just thinking for you
when you sleep, i'm thinking
when you sleep, i'm thinking
when you sleep, i'm thinking for her
wish i still could love you
floating high above you
just don't think i'm sinking for you
this pillow talk
don't wake me up
my dream is done
i'm still in love
i know your fears
just lying here
i think i'll leave
please don't my dear
this pillow talk will wake me up
no matter what i'm dreaming
when you leave, i'm lying
when you leave, i'm lying
when you leave, i'm lying for you
and i know it hurts you
nothing else i can do
you won't let me, though i want to
when you leave, i'm lonely
when you leave, i'm lonely
when you leave, i'm lonely for you
roll around in our bed
can't stop thoughts in my head
the screaming girl just gets up for you
this pillow talk
don't wake me up
my dream is done
i'm still in love
i know your fears
just lying here
i think i'll leave
please don't my dear
this pillow talk will wake me up
no matter what i'm dreaming
pack my things, i'm leaving
wish i could stop breathing
know you'll be coming back for me
if we fight and make up
if we fight and make up
if we fight, we wake up lonely
this pillow talk
don't wake me up
my dream is done
i'm still in love
i know your fears
just lying here
i think i'll leave
please don't my dear
this pillow talk will wake me up
no matter what i'm dreaming
when i sleep, i'm dreaming
when i sleep, i'm dreaming for you
feel my heart it's aching
wish i could stop breaking
spend all day just thinking for you
when you sleep, i'm thinking
when you sleep, i'm thinking
when you sleep, i'm thinking for her
wish i still could love you
floating high above you
just don't think i'm sinking for you
this pillow talk
don't wake me up
my dream is done
i'm still in love
i know your fears
just lying here
i think i'll leave
please don't my dear
this pillow talk will wake me up
no matter what i'm dreaming
when you leave, i'm lying
when you leave, i'm lying
when you leave, i'm lying for you
and i know it hurts you
nothing else i can do
you won't let me, though i want to
when you leave, i'm lonely
when you leave, i'm lonely
when you leave, i'm lonely for you
roll around in our bed
can't stop thoughts in my head
the screaming girl just gets up for you
this pillow talk
don't wake me up
my dream is done
i'm still in love
i know your fears
just lying here
i think i'll leave
please don't my dear
this pillow talk will wake me up
no matter what i'm dreaming
pack my things, i'm leaving
wish i could stop breathing
know you'll be coming back for me
if we fight and make up
if we fight and make up
if we fight, we wake up lonely
this pillow talk
don't wake me up
my dream is done
i'm still in love
i know your fears
just lying here
i think i'll leave
please don't my dear
this pillow talk will wake me up
no matter what i'm dreaming
Lyrics submitted by NIpTErINk
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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,
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/
The couple singing have a pretty dysfunctional relationship, where they sleep in the same bad every night, but for some reason or another the guy will wake up and leave early in the morning. "Pillow Talk" in the song is referring to the notes he leaves on the pillow in the morning, you know with some kind of excuse written on it: "early start at work, see you later' or 'woke up early, went to the gas station to buy cigarettes' The song also talks about dreaming, as if the couple are in love deep down and dream of each other, but when they wake up, they fight and second guess the whole relationship.
then you can look at specific lyrics like: "this pillow talk will wake me up, no matter what I'm dreaming" which could be the girl saying: no matter how wonderful you are in my dream, I will always wake up when you leave in the morning or: "if we fight we wake up lonely" could mean that if they fight before going to sleep, the guy won't leave a note and just leave like he was never there, hence the loneliness or the chorus: guy: "this pillow talk" him writing the note girl: "don't wake make up" shows the girl is the one sleeping guy: "my dream is done" he's woken up and she isn't like how she was in the dream. he just can't love her anymore ("wish I could still love you") girl: "I'm still in love" kinda speaks for it'self guy: "I know your fears" her fear of him leaving girl: "just lying here" she's awake and watching him leave guy: "I think I'll leave" again, really doesn't need explaining girl: "please don't my dear" she's asking for him to be like he was while she was dreaming