"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.
Baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Hey, baby
Yeah, when I first saw that bikini top on her
She's poppin' right out of the South Georgia water
Thought, oh, good Lord, she had them long tanned legs
Couldn't help myself so I walked up and said
Well, baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Down a back road blowin' stop signs
Through the middle every little farm town with you
In this brand new Chevy with a lift kit
Would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it
Huh, so baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Yeah, she was sippin' on Southern and singin' Marshall Tucker
We were fallin' in love in the sweet heart of summer
She hopped right up into the cab of my truck and said
"Fire it up, let's go get this thing stuck"
Baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Down a back road blowin' stop signs
Through the middle every little farm town with you
In this brand new Chevy with a lift kit
Would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it
Huh, so baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
When that summer sun fell to its knees
I looked at her and she looked at me
Then I turned on those KC lights
An' drove all night 'cause it felt so right
Her and I, man, we feel so right
I put it in park and grabbed my guitar
An' strummed a couple chords and sang from the heart
Girl, you sure got the beat in my chest bumpin'
Hell, I can't get you out of my head
Baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Down a back road blowin' stop signs
Through the middle every little farm town with you
Well, baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Down a back road blowin' stop signs
Through the middle every little farm town with you
In this brand new Chevy with a lift kit
Would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it
Come on
Baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Come on, girl
Get those windows down and cruise
Aw, yeah
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Hey, baby
Yeah, when I first saw that bikini top on her
She's poppin' right out of the South Georgia water
Thought, oh, good Lord, she had them long tanned legs
Couldn't help myself so I walked up and said
Well, baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Down a back road blowin' stop signs
Through the middle every little farm town with you
In this brand new Chevy with a lift kit
Would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it
Huh, so baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Yeah, she was sippin' on Southern and singin' Marshall Tucker
We were fallin' in love in the sweet heart of summer
She hopped right up into the cab of my truck and said
"Fire it up, let's go get this thing stuck"
Baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Down a back road blowin' stop signs
Through the middle every little farm town with you
In this brand new Chevy with a lift kit
Would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it
Huh, so baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
When that summer sun fell to its knees
I looked at her and she looked at me
Then I turned on those KC lights
An' drove all night 'cause it felt so right
Her and I, man, we feel so right
I put it in park and grabbed my guitar
An' strummed a couple chords and sang from the heart
Girl, you sure got the beat in my chest bumpin'
Hell, I can't get you out of my head
Baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Down a back road blowin' stop signs
Through the middle every little farm town with you
Well, baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Down a back road blowin' stop signs
Through the middle every little farm town with you
In this brand new Chevy with a lift kit
Would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it
Come on
Baby, you a song
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise
Come on, girl
Get those windows down and cruise
Aw, yeah
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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Punchline
Ed Sheeran
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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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
wikipedia.com says that the song is about an attractive woman with whom the male narrator wants to cruise in his car. I think it's about a couple who cruise around town singing along to their favorite songs.