"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.
They call me, Dr. John, known as The Night Tripper
Got my satchel of Gris-Gris in my hand
They be trippin' up, back down the Bayou
I'm the last of the best, they call me the Gris-Gris man
Got many clients come from miles around
Running down my prescription
I got medicine to cure all y'alls ills
I got remedies of every description
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya) Hey Now
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya) Hey Now
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
If you got love trouble, you got a bad woman you can't control
I got just the thing for you
Something called Controlin' Hearts Get Together Drops
If you work too hard and you need a little rest
Try my Easy Life Rub, or put some on my Boss Fix Jam
In your breakfast
Try a little bit a
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya) hey Now
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
They call me, Dr. John, known as the Night Tripper
Satchel of Gris-Gris in my hand
They be trippin' up, back down the Bayou
Know I'm the last of the best
I'm known as the Gris-Gris man
Sellin'
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
Some warm water if your neighbors give you trouble
Put your business in the street
(?) My whole cart, it just won't be beat
Try my Dragon's Blood, my drawn powder and my sleepin' sand
Never little black cat if your woman got another man
(?) Eatin' out the palm of your hand
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya) shoestring and a whole lotta sand
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya) put on your woman's feet, and see if she don't love it
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
Got my satchel of Gris-Gris in my hand
They be trippin' up, back down the Bayou
I'm the last of the best, they call me the Gris-Gris man
Got many clients come from miles around
Running down my prescription
I got medicine to cure all y'alls ills
I got remedies of every description
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya) Hey Now
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya) Hey Now
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
If you got love trouble, you got a bad woman you can't control
I got just the thing for you
Something called Controlin' Hearts Get Together Drops
If you work too hard and you need a little rest
Try my Easy Life Rub, or put some on my Boss Fix Jam
In your breakfast
Try a little bit a
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya) hey Now
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
They call me, Dr. John, known as the Night Tripper
Satchel of Gris-Gris in my hand
They be trippin' up, back down the Bayou
Know I'm the last of the best
I'm known as the Gris-Gris man
Sellin'
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
Some warm water if your neighbors give you trouble
Put your business in the street
(?) My whole cart, it just won't be beat
Try my Dragon's Blood, my drawn powder and my sleepin' sand
Never little black cat if your woman got another man
(?) Eatin' out the palm of your hand
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya) shoestring and a whole lotta sand
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya) put on your woman's feet, and see if she don't love it
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
(Hey now, Gumbo Ya Ya)
(Gris-gris Gumbo Ya-Ya)
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by History079, chazzmo, JStraszak
Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya Lyrics as written by Mac Pka Dr John Rebbenack
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
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.
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.
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.
"Try a little black cat oil if your womasn's got another man" Some war water if your neighbors give you trouble put your business in the street"
"Try some Dragon BVlood my Drawn Powder and my Sacred Sand.."