"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.
Royal Oil, come on bubble and boil
Stabs like a dagger, make you stagger
On the hot tin foil
Mind your mind or it will surely spoil then you sleep down in the soil
Nothing comes from nothing, come on
Royal Oil
When you smoke or poke the poison
You lose the chance to be tomorrow
Look out on the horizon
And see the sadness, the pain and the sorrow
I can't say enough about the stuff
Or what it has in store
When you smoke or poke the poison
You won't be anymore
Royal Oil, come on bubble and boil
Stabs like a dagger, make you stagger
On the hot in foil
Mind your mind or it will surely spoil
Then you sleep down in the soil
Nothing comes from nothing, come on
Royal Oil
Royal Oil has cut many down to size
Spikes gonna strike the weak and strong alike
And then forever, and ever close those eyes
Make up your mind to keep your mind up
And to your life be loyal
Nothing comes from nothing, come on
Royal Oil
Royal Oil, big trouble brewing
Long, lonely road, long road to ruin
Wrong path to take, great big mistake
And then you sleep down in the soil
Nothing comes from nothing, come on
Royal Oil
Stabs like a dagger, make you stagger
On the hot tin foil
Mind your mind or it will surely spoil then you sleep down in the soil
Nothing comes from nothing, come on
Royal Oil
When you smoke or poke the poison
You lose the chance to be tomorrow
Look out on the horizon
And see the sadness, the pain and the sorrow
I can't say enough about the stuff
Or what it has in store
When you smoke or poke the poison
You won't be anymore
Royal Oil, come on bubble and boil
Stabs like a dagger, make you stagger
On the hot in foil
Mind your mind or it will surely spoil
Then you sleep down in the soil
Nothing comes from nothing, come on
Royal Oil
Royal Oil has cut many down to size
Spikes gonna strike the weak and strong alike
And then forever, and ever close those eyes
Make up your mind to keep your mind up
And to your life be loyal
Nothing comes from nothing, come on
Royal Oil
Royal Oil, big trouble brewing
Long, lonely road, long road to ruin
Wrong path to take, great big mistake
And then you sleep down in the soil
Nothing comes from nothing, come on
Royal Oil
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Dreamwalker
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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.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
I think this song is about hash oil.
Could be, but it may be something a bit differant... When it gets introduced on 'live at the middle east' he says 'This one goes out to the people who have supported the bosstones for all these fucking years' But microwaveburrito, i still reckon you are right.
i think it's about drugs in general - "smoke or poke the poison" - marijuana and heroin... correct if wrong
i agree: this song isnt about oil, it's about drugs. stabs like dagger makes you stagger, smoke or poke, hot tin foil, mind your mind or it will spoil, sadness pain and sorrow, long road to ruin all sound like they are talking about some sort of drug or another.
i agree: this song isnt about oil, it's about drugs. stabs like dagger makes you stagger, smoke or poke, hot tin foil, mind your mind or it will spoil, sadness pain and sorrow, long road to ruin all sound like they are talking about some sort of drug or another.
It's all about heroin he's taking about smoking heroin, and how you can over dose and lose the chance to "see tommorow" this song is about heroin and only heroin, these guys r total pot heads so they r no way bashing weed
This song is about Crystal Meth (speed, crank, go, shit, dope, etc). First of all the glass pipe that is used to smoke meth is called an oil burner which is why they call it royal OIL. Second "Stabs like a dagger, make you stagger,On the hot tin foil". freebasing meth on foil. And of course you can "slam" some speed which if you dont know is injecting it with a needle. And well sleep down in the soil means you sleep where you fall, and when you haven't sleep in a week or two your most likely just going to pass out where you stand. And when your tweaking nothings going to be accomplished by your countless hours of effort therefore nothings gonna come from nothing.
Well I don't think it means literally sleeping as he says "sleeping in the soil" A.K.A. dying and being buried.
This song is OBVIOUSLY about Meth... Come on now people...
It's about black tar heroin.
@CFaz23 I agree back when this song was written and the band was huge black tar heroin was big. It's definitely about heroin you can smoke it on tinfoil or inject it and one wrong batch you end up sleeping in the soil.