"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.
If you gain weight from too much chow
I will never call you a cow
I respect you and cows
Don't use "cow" as an insult
If you eat every single fig
I will never call you a pig
I respect you and pigs
Don't use "pig" as an insult
If you avoid thoughts that are deep
I will never call you a sheep
I respect you and sheep
Don't use "sheep" as an insult
If you get scared and your pulse quickens
I will never call you a chicken
I respect you and chickens
Don't use "chicken" as an insult
My friend, I hope ya have
No desire to insult
Anyone at all
But if you insist
On insulting someone
Leave the animals out of it
Animals are innocent
Don't be speciesist
Never use the name of an animal as an insult
Animals are innocent
Don't be speciesist
Never use the name of an animal as an insult
If you're disloyal and we have a spat
I will never call you a rat
I respect you and rats
Don't use "rat" as an insult
If you check out women while out for a jog
I will never call you a dog
I respect you and dogs
Don't use "dog" as an insult
If you complain that we are not rich
I will never call you a bitch
I respect you and female dogs
Don't use "bitch" as an insult
If you tell a lie and make my trust break
I will never call you a snake
I respect you and snakes
Don't use "snake" as an insult
My friend, I hope ya have
No desire to insult
Anyone at all
But if you insist
On insulting someone
Leave the animals out of it
Animals are innocent
Don't be speciesist
Never use the name of an animal as an insult
Animals are innocent
Don't be speciesist
Never use the name of an animal as an insult
I will never call you a cow
I respect you and cows
Don't use "cow" as an insult
If you eat every single fig
I will never call you a pig
I respect you and pigs
Don't use "pig" as an insult
If you avoid thoughts that are deep
I will never call you a sheep
I respect you and sheep
Don't use "sheep" as an insult
If you get scared and your pulse quickens
I will never call you a chicken
I respect you and chickens
Don't use "chicken" as an insult
My friend, I hope ya have
No desire to insult
Anyone at all
But if you insist
On insulting someone
Leave the animals out of it
Animals are innocent
Don't be speciesist
Never use the name of an animal as an insult
Animals are innocent
Don't be speciesist
Never use the name of an animal as an insult
If you're disloyal and we have a spat
I will never call you a rat
I respect you and rats
Don't use "rat" as an insult
If you check out women while out for a jog
I will never call you a dog
I respect you and dogs
Don't use "dog" as an insult
If you complain that we are not rich
I will never call you a bitch
I respect you and female dogs
Don't use "bitch" as an insult
If you tell a lie and make my trust break
I will never call you a snake
I respect you and snakes
Don't use "snake" as an insult
My friend, I hope ya have
No desire to insult
Anyone at all
But if you insist
On insulting someone
Leave the animals out of it
Animals are innocent
Don't be speciesist
Never use the name of an animal as an insult
Animals are innocent
Don't be speciesist
Never use the name of an animal as an insult
Lyrics submitted by Eamon
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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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,
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
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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.
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.
John retitled this "Don't Insult - Jazzy Version."
Aaaaand now it's called "Don't Insult - Blues Rock Version."
And now it's "Animals Are Innocent (Don't Be Speciesist) - Blues Rock Version."