"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.
There must be lights burning brighter somewhere
Got to be birds flying higher in the sky more blue
If I can dream of a better land
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Tell me why, oh why
Oh why can't my dream come true
Oh Why?
There must be peace and understanding sometime
Strong winds are promise that will blow away
The doubt and fear
If I can dream of a warmer sun
Where hope keeps shining on everyone
Tell me why, oh why
Oh why won't that sun appear?
We're lost in a cloud
With too much rain
We're trapped in a world
That's trouble with pain
As long as a man
Has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and climb
Deep in my heart there's a trembling question
Still I am sure that the answer's gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark
There's a beckoning candle here
While I can think, while I can talk
While I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream, please let my dream
Come true, right now
If I can dream right now
I say, If i can dream
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Let it come true
Right now
Got to be birds flying higher in the sky more blue
If I can dream of a better land
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Tell me why, oh why
Oh why can't my dream come true
Oh Why?
There must be peace and understanding sometime
Strong winds are promise that will blow away
The doubt and fear
If I can dream of a warmer sun
Where hope keeps shining on everyone
Tell me why, oh why
Oh why won't that sun appear?
We're lost in a cloud
With too much rain
We're trapped in a world
That's trouble with pain
As long as a man
Has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and climb
Deep in my heart there's a trembling question
Still I am sure that the answer's gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark
There's a beckoning candle here
While I can think, while I can talk
While I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream, please let my dream
Come true, right now
If I can dream right now
I say, If i can dream
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Let it come true
Right now
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
If I Can Dream Lyrics as written by Walter Earl Brown
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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Holiday
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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.
I Can't Go To Sleep
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
When We Were Young
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.