"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.
Yo it's ya boy Silkk. Hey hey. Know what I'm sayin?
I got Fiend and Mac in here. These soldiers warriors
Know what I'm sayin? And survivors know but
We're in serious times.
[Chorus]
I said all our soldiers in the streets
Life ain't always guaranteed
(There's no guarantee)
Some of this aimed for you and me
But it's a ghetto war
So be all you can be
That's why your big brother Fiend gon' holler
And I really meant, I don't want to be here if I don't gotta
Not tryin' to discourage, a lotta
But look in my eyes
Even though we camouflaged I can't disguise the pain we got
inside
That's why I ride all night
Smokin' till I can't smoke no more
want to forget some of the shit we saw
With that old dirty four oh
want to give money to the poor folk
But got one eighty and one quarter
Splitin' that three ways
That's between my momma, sister and her daughter
[Chorus: x2]
This life shit is way so serious
Don't want to question you Lord, but I'm so curious
I sleep amongst killers I don't know who to trust
I meet beucoup bitches and now it's cool to fuck
I made it from nothin' to havin' little change
Now niggas in my hood they look at me strange
I live for the moment 'cause I'm afraid of my future
Don't let me die, oh Lord why
I look myself in my eyes and I see why thugs cry
Shell shocked, I get that from my pops
And he told me keep it cocked, so I keep it cocked
Life is but a dream and we all seein'
And if seein' is believin', don't wake me up this evening
Whoa!
[Chorus: x2]
All I know, is I don't want to go
But I don't want to be here either
If I gotta be here killin' and sellin' dope
The world is a ghetto
And I be wonderin' if y'all could be feelin my pain
Tryin' to put it down the best way I know how
When I'm gone y'all can remember my name
If I die tomorrow, don't be sorry
Let it be known I told the truth
And never know what's gon happen when I'm done rappin'
Doin' my song, in this booth
And if I die, tell P he keeps my legacy alive
My chance was slim
And if it had to happen, let it be known
I'm glad it happened to me, instead of them
Now desperate times call for desperate measures
Ain't no pleasure in killin'
Ain't no pleasure either in going without feedin' for weeks
Have you ever had that feeling?
No guarantees, Lord please, can't bring back the past
Can't buy time either, so I guess what's the use of havin cash?
And look now, penitentiary's packed
With niggas who had dreams to be rich
Man spend a little bit, have a little something
Dead men can't spend shit
I'll trade some of this money for this pain
Trade some of this money for this fame
P nigga you think it's easy dog
But it ain't 'cause I been with you throughout this game
I thought we could flip keys together
I thought we could make g's together
Now I know what's going on
I gotta make these dollars all night long
I thought you saw the bigger picture
How could you betray your closest nigga?
How can I ever trust you again?
Tell me, man
Yo Fiend, yo Mac.
It's real.
Gotta be able to do it.
So many niggas want to see you fall dog.
We gon' ball y'all, for real.
I got Fiend and Mac in here. These soldiers warriors
Know what I'm sayin? And survivors know but
We're in serious times.
[Chorus]
I said all our soldiers in the streets
Life ain't always guaranteed
(There's no guarantee)
Some of this aimed for you and me
But it's a ghetto war
So be all you can be
That's why your big brother Fiend gon' holler
And I really meant, I don't want to be here if I don't gotta
Not tryin' to discourage, a lotta
But look in my eyes
Even though we camouflaged I can't disguise the pain we got
inside
That's why I ride all night
Smokin' till I can't smoke no more
want to forget some of the shit we saw
With that old dirty four oh
want to give money to the poor folk
But got one eighty and one quarter
Splitin' that three ways
That's between my momma, sister and her daughter
[Chorus: x2]
This life shit is way so serious
Don't want to question you Lord, but I'm so curious
I sleep amongst killers I don't know who to trust
I meet beucoup bitches and now it's cool to fuck
I made it from nothin' to havin' little change
Now niggas in my hood they look at me strange
I live for the moment 'cause I'm afraid of my future
Don't let me die, oh Lord why
I look myself in my eyes and I see why thugs cry
Shell shocked, I get that from my pops
And he told me keep it cocked, so I keep it cocked
Life is but a dream and we all seein'
And if seein' is believin', don't wake me up this evening
Whoa!
[Chorus: x2]
All I know, is I don't want to go
But I don't want to be here either
If I gotta be here killin' and sellin' dope
The world is a ghetto
And I be wonderin' if y'all could be feelin my pain
Tryin' to put it down the best way I know how
When I'm gone y'all can remember my name
If I die tomorrow, don't be sorry
Let it be known I told the truth
And never know what's gon happen when I'm done rappin'
Doin' my song, in this booth
And if I die, tell P he keeps my legacy alive
My chance was slim
And if it had to happen, let it be known
I'm glad it happened to me, instead of them
Now desperate times call for desperate measures
Ain't no pleasure in killin'
Ain't no pleasure either in going without feedin' for weeks
Have you ever had that feeling?
No guarantees, Lord please, can't bring back the past
Can't buy time either, so I guess what's the use of havin cash?
And look now, penitentiary's packed
With niggas who had dreams to be rich
Man spend a little bit, have a little something
Dead men can't spend shit
I'll trade some of this money for this pain
Trade some of this money for this fame
P nigga you think it's easy dog
But it ain't 'cause I been with you throughout this game
I thought we could flip keys together
I thought we could make g's together
Now I know what's going on
I gotta make these dollars all night long
I thought you saw the bigger picture
How could you betray your closest nigga?
How can I ever trust you again?
Tell me, man
Yo Fiend, yo Mac.
It's real.
Gotta be able to do it.
So many niggas want to see you fall dog.
We gon' ball y'all, for real.
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Be All You Can Be Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, TuneCore Inc.
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.