"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 can still believe the sky
Isn't rolling through the night
While I sleep fast like a stone
And the ground we're standing on
Is what we fixed ourselves upon
Go on, you can't change what you know
There were chances left untaken
Lost diversions in the road
And far-off islands in the sea
A house of flowers
A chapter and a verse
A sheet of white where we all shared our dreams
And we turn every revolution
Every revolution, bringing us symphonies
Take a breath and count our lucky days
Hold me here with every revolution
Pulling together now
There's a brand new life in my soul, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Now there's water in the well
And the ring has found a bell
To tell the world we're not alone
From the silent sky a plane arrives
I feel like I've been waiting all my life
To welcome you back home
There's a wave coming in to break
The tension as we crash upon the beach
Up ahead the blanket full of stars
A pencil sketch to lie down underneath
And we turn every revolution
Every revolution bringing us symphonies
Take a breath and count our lucky days
Hold me here with every revolution
Pulling together now
There's a brand new life in my soul, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
And we turn every revolution
Every revolution bringing us symphonies
Take a breath and count our lucky days
Hold me here with every revolution
Pulling together now
There's a brand new life in my soul, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Isn't rolling through the night
While I sleep fast like a stone
And the ground we're standing on
Is what we fixed ourselves upon
Go on, you can't change what you know
There were chances left untaken
Lost diversions in the road
And far-off islands in the sea
A house of flowers
A chapter and a verse
A sheet of white where we all shared our dreams
And we turn every revolution
Every revolution, bringing us symphonies
Take a breath and count our lucky days
Hold me here with every revolution
Pulling together now
There's a brand new life in my soul, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Now there's water in the well
And the ring has found a bell
To tell the world we're not alone
From the silent sky a plane arrives
I feel like I've been waiting all my life
To welcome you back home
There's a wave coming in to break
The tension as we crash upon the beach
Up ahead the blanket full of stars
A pencil sketch to lie down underneath
And we turn every revolution
Every revolution bringing us symphonies
Take a breath and count our lucky days
Hold me here with every revolution
Pulling together now
There's a brand new life in my soul, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
And we turn every revolution
Every revolution bringing us symphonies
Take a breath and count our lucky days
Hold me here with every revolution
Pulling together now
There's a brand new life in my soul, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
Every Revolution Lyrics as written by Gary Barlow Mark Anthony Owen
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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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.
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/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.