"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.
Now I don't be foolin' around, I tell the truth
Nothing's secret
As devils search for the secrets to immortality
I alter my physical chemistry
Walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I exist even when no things are left
Vibrations transcend space and time
Pure at heart because I deal with the mind
That's why I compose these verses
Audible worlds, my thoughts are now universes
Written on these pages is the ageless
Wisdom of the sages, ignorance is contagious
So I hope you keep your focus
There's no hocus-pocus, in the end, it's just us
Devil got brother killin brother, it's insane
Goin out like abel and cain
Wisen up and use your brain
There'll be no limit, to the things that you can gain
In positivity, balance it with negativity
Until then, ain't the devil happy
I hate when the devil's happy, so I wear my hair hair nappy
Knotty, won't go out like john gotti
He came from the caves to destroy everybody
And we like fools destroy our own bodies
Too many niggas chillin, bad boys boom boom
This leaves no room for the flowers to bloom
Seeds blow in the wind, another drug killing
What, are we accomplishing? nothing
What's, the matter?
Why everytime I look around another brain gets splattered?
Some pockets get fatter but it don't matter
The devil's the only one who really gets fatter
Lead ruptures flesh, spleens are shattered
Dreams are shattered, another queen without a king
What will out children become without proper guidance?
Probably nothing, so ain't the devil happy
Niggas are in a state of nothingness
Hopelessness, lifelessness
If you're in range I hope you hear this
And try to change this, cause it's disastrous
Who gets the most loot, who gets bust?
Dollar bill y'all, is the god we trust
The days blow by like dust
Even men of steel rust
We're out here acting ridiculous
When, only we can save us
Mentally enslave us, for little or nothing kill our neighbors
Animalistic, caniballistic, behavior
Look to the sky for your savior
He won't save ya, he didn't save your forefathers
Why bother, brothers? you must discover
The power of self, know thyself, or find thyself
Hating thyself, killing thyself
While he collects the wealth that you sit back and murder for
Ain't the devil happy
Nothing's secret
As devils search for the secrets to immortality
I alter my physical chemistry
Walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I exist even when no things are left
Vibrations transcend space and time
Pure at heart because I deal with the mind
That's why I compose these verses
Audible worlds, my thoughts are now universes
Written on these pages is the ageless
Wisdom of the sages, ignorance is contagious
So I hope you keep your focus
There's no hocus-pocus, in the end, it's just us
Devil got brother killin brother, it's insane
Goin out like abel and cain
Wisen up and use your brain
There'll be no limit, to the things that you can gain
In positivity, balance it with negativity
Until then, ain't the devil happy
I hate when the devil's happy, so I wear my hair hair nappy
Knotty, won't go out like john gotti
He came from the caves to destroy everybody
And we like fools destroy our own bodies
Too many niggas chillin, bad boys boom boom
This leaves no room for the flowers to bloom
Seeds blow in the wind, another drug killing
What, are we accomplishing? nothing
What's, the matter?
Why everytime I look around another brain gets splattered?
Some pockets get fatter but it don't matter
The devil's the only one who really gets fatter
Lead ruptures flesh, spleens are shattered
Dreams are shattered, another queen without a king
What will out children become without proper guidance?
Probably nothing, so ain't the devil happy
Niggas are in a state of nothingness
Hopelessness, lifelessness
If you're in range I hope you hear this
And try to change this, cause it's disastrous
Who gets the most loot, who gets bust?
Dollar bill y'all, is the god we trust
The days blow by like dust
Even men of steel rust
We're out here acting ridiculous
When, only we can save us
Mentally enslave us, for little or nothing kill our neighbors
Animalistic, caniballistic, behavior
Look to the sky for your savior
He won't save ya, he didn't save your forefathers
Why bother, brothers? you must discover
The power of self, know thyself, or find thyself
Hating thyself, killing thyself
While he collects the wealth that you sit back and murder for
Ain't the devil happy
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Ain't the Devil Happy Lyrics as written by Christopher E Martin Kendrick J Davis
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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.
No Surprises
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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.
Punchline
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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.