"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 like friends and I like strangers
Carved out forms of steamy nature
Coming on strong but soon or later
A curtain calls on misbehavior
When you seal it away and you're on your own
And you brush away the old war zones
And the music plays for broken bones
We'll be running again away we go
Away we go
I like trends and I like heydays
And being caught in the haze of sleeping late
But when nighttime comes, I see you straining
Through my fingertips, I feel you changing
When you seal it away and you're on your own
And you brush away the old war zones
And the music plays for broken bones
We'll be running again away we go
Away we go
Leave it alone
My how you've grown
Never knew how low
You could get before zero
Cling in a way
That'll drive us insane
Wait 'til you find
The end of the line
When you seal it away and you're on your own
And you brush away the old war zones
And the music plays for broken bones
We'll be running again away we go
When you seal it away and you're on your own
And you brush away the old war zones
And the music plays for broken bones
We'll be running again away we go
Away we go
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin
Carved out forms of steamy nature
Coming on strong but soon or later
A curtain calls on misbehavior
When you seal it away and you're on your own
And you brush away the old war zones
And the music plays for broken bones
We'll be running again away we go
Away we go
I like trends and I like heydays
And being caught in the haze of sleeping late
But when nighttime comes, I see you straining
Through my fingertips, I feel you changing
When you seal it away and you're on your own
And you brush away the old war zones
And the music plays for broken bones
We'll be running again away we go
Away we go
Leave it alone
My how you've grown
Never knew how low
You could get before zero
Cling in a way
That'll drive us insane
Wait 'til you find
The end of the line
When you seal it away and you're on your own
And you brush away the old war zones
And the music plays for broken bones
We'll be running again away we go
When you seal it away and you're on your own
And you brush away the old war zones
And the music plays for broken bones
We'll be running again away we go
Away we go
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin,
Pins and needles in your skin
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
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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.
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Blue
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“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
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.
The song Pins and Needles is a song about falling in love with a person who is just a beautiful open wound. And what you are trying to do is somehow put pillows on all the walls to protect them from bumping into things and you just love them so much and yet they are so pure and so... vunerable. Its like you're a little puppy and youre following around this other puppy and you're trying to clear the roads... i dunno... It's a love song. soundcloud.com/silversunpickups/brian-meaning-behind-pins-and-needles