"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.
It was written I should be loyal
to this nightmare that we're in
But something about all the sorrow in your heart that won't let me in
Like the hands of a fool with money to burn
In the breath of one last dying wish
We hear the call and it sounds like there's
Rats in the walls
It's like the dark side of the moon
Serenade me with a whisper
And let this nightmare in us bloom
Where do I send all my money?
Who'll deliver the nails through my heart
When I've gone and set it all up burning like the walls
In the ghetto of this reckless love
Bow down with a whimper to pass the time
Or hold me down and take what's mine
Put my head under water and drink my wine
And watch me take it all way too far
Lip service to the one that gave you your crown
You're holding your breath as you're waiting to drown
The echoes in your head bounce around like
Rats in the walls
It's like the dark side of the moon
Serenade me with a whisper
And let this nightmare in us bloom
Tonight I'm all dressed here in black
I got your monkey on my back
We are not what we say we mean everything we do
And tonight I'm gonna kill another part of you
Stimulation hollow transmission ill defined
At the center of our hearts a signal too obscure to find
Acoustic shadows sex and chaos and the sound of you and me
Here all roads defy your gravity
I have been here all along with the
Rats in the walls
It's like the dark side of the moon
Serenade me with a whisper and let this nightmare in us bloom
Tonight I'm all dressed here in black
I got your monkey on my back
We are not what we say we mean everything we do
And tonight I'm gonna kill another part of you
to this nightmare that we're in
But something about all the sorrow in your heart that won't let me in
Like the hands of a fool with money to burn
In the breath of one last dying wish
We hear the call and it sounds like there's
Rats in the walls
It's like the dark side of the moon
Serenade me with a whisper
And let this nightmare in us bloom
Where do I send all my money?
Who'll deliver the nails through my heart
When I've gone and set it all up burning like the walls
In the ghetto of this reckless love
Bow down with a whimper to pass the time
Or hold me down and take what's mine
Put my head under water and drink my wine
And watch me take it all way too far
Lip service to the one that gave you your crown
You're holding your breath as you're waiting to drown
The echoes in your head bounce around like
Rats in the walls
It's like the dark side of the moon
Serenade me with a whisper
And let this nightmare in us bloom
Tonight I'm all dressed here in black
I got your monkey on my back
We are not what we say we mean everything we do
And tonight I'm gonna kill another part of you
Stimulation hollow transmission ill defined
At the center of our hearts a signal too obscure to find
Acoustic shadows sex and chaos and the sound of you and me
Here all roads defy your gravity
I have been here all along with the
Rats in the walls
It's like the dark side of the moon
Serenade me with a whisper and let this nightmare in us bloom
Tonight I'm all dressed here in black
I got your monkey on my back
We are not what we say we mean everything we do
And tonight I'm gonna kill another part of you
Lyrics submitted by Ihsus
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
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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/
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.