"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.
All I can taste is cigarettes
And the kiss you left upon my lips
I’ve left a number of old regrets
From my silken white legs to my hips
People often say there’s no time in a day
But there’s way too much time for me
I’m empty and aching; my whole world is shaking
And the black dog has sat at my feet
Nobody sees what I do to me
Nobody sees when I’m crazed
The contempt that I hold for my own defeat
And the guilt I feel masked by my rage
You waltz in the room in your drunken perfume
And you touch every inch of my being
Until the bitter sun rises and shows our disguises
You stretch while I’m left there bleeding
And you step away ‘cause you’re part of the day
And I sleep ‘cause I’m part of the night
And you say my chains will soon break away
And I’ll join you one day in the light
You push me and pull me, you ride me, you thrill me
Then turn every inch of me down
And I have nothing and no one
So what could I owe to one man who is craved by the crowd?
Break my hands; I can’t, I cannot break them myself
I see my own mind and the poisoning of its health
Help is beyond me; help won’t come from someone else
You waltz in the room in your drunken perfume
And you touch every inch of my being
And you grab my hand; reassure me again
That knowledge is so often freeing
And you say my chains will soon break away
And I’ll join you one day in the light
But I’m empty and aching; my whole world is breaking
And the black dog is holding me tight
And the kiss you left upon my lips
I’ve left a number of old regrets
From my silken white legs to my hips
People often say there’s no time in a day
But there’s way too much time for me
I’m empty and aching; my whole world is shaking
And the black dog has sat at my feet
Nobody sees what I do to me
Nobody sees when I’m crazed
The contempt that I hold for my own defeat
And the guilt I feel masked by my rage
You waltz in the room in your drunken perfume
And you touch every inch of my being
Until the bitter sun rises and shows our disguises
You stretch while I’m left there bleeding
And you step away ‘cause you’re part of the day
And I sleep ‘cause I’m part of the night
And you say my chains will soon break away
And I’ll join you one day in the light
You push me and pull me, you ride me, you thrill me
Then turn every inch of me down
And I have nothing and no one
So what could I owe to one man who is craved by the crowd?
Break my hands; I can’t, I cannot break them myself
I see my own mind and the poisoning of its health
Help is beyond me; help won’t come from someone else
You waltz in the room in your drunken perfume
And you touch every inch of my being
And you grab my hand; reassure me again
That knowledge is so often freeing
And you say my chains will soon break away
And I’ll join you one day in the light
But I’m empty and aching; my whole world is breaking
And the black dog is holding me tight
Lyrics submitted by Jaylar
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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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“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.
Melody Pool has been pretty open about the meaning of the song. It is about the depression she has personally experienced, which isn't a big surprise given the title is "Black Dog".
It's an amazing song, beautifully delivered. I can only imagine how powerful it would be to see her perform such a personal song live.