"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.
I'm stuck in my room
As the night becomes darker
The windowsill painted
With lyrics and marker
And my motivation
Oh where has it run off to?
But all of a sudden
Words cease to mean nothin'
Especially names
Of girls I've been fuckin'
And places that I
Had left them behind
Tryin' to find someone new
But that's how it works
It all just gets duller
The more that you settle
The harder you falter
The planned routines you wish you could escape
From the grand routines you wish that you could change
So the only thing to stop me from gettin' on a plane
Is the embarrassing fear of trying to explain
To my parents and friends that they're not to blame
It was the only way for me to stay sane
But the further you go
To the place you call home
The more comfy you get
With being alone
And the closer you get
To knowing yourself
And feeling all the things
You wish you had felt
How come I have this fear
Of the way that my memories disappear
Of the way that most of the time
None of us will ever do anything with our lives
I’m sorry for
The songs that I sent you
I’m sorry for
What I got you all into
I’m sorry for
This early eruption
I’m sorry for
My sexual disfunction
I’m sorry for
My fake disposition
I’m sorry for
My shifting opinions
I’m sorry if
I’ve become heartless
I’m sorry that
I am so sharpless
I’m sorry
As the night becomes darker
The windowsill painted
With lyrics and marker
And my motivation
Oh where has it run off to?
But all of a sudden
Words cease to mean nothin'
Especially names
Of girls I've been fuckin'
And places that I
Had left them behind
Tryin' to find someone new
But that's how it works
It all just gets duller
The more that you settle
The harder you falter
The planned routines you wish you could escape
From the grand routines you wish that you could change
So the only thing to stop me from gettin' on a plane
Is the embarrassing fear of trying to explain
To my parents and friends that they're not to blame
It was the only way for me to stay sane
But the further you go
To the place you call home
The more comfy you get
With being alone
And the closer you get
To knowing yourself
And feeling all the things
You wish you had felt
How come I have this fear
Of the way that my memories disappear
Of the way that most of the time
None of us will ever do anything with our lives
I’m sorry for
The songs that I sent you
I’m sorry for
What I got you all into
I’m sorry for
This early eruption
I’m sorry for
My sexual disfunction
I’m sorry for
My fake disposition
I’m sorry for
My shifting opinions
I’m sorry if
I’ve become heartless
I’m sorry that
I am so sharpless
I’m sorry
Lyrics submitted by ProgFox
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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
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,
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/
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.