"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.
She rides in the front seat,
She's my older sister
She knows her power over me
She goes to bed an hour later than I do
When she turns the lights out
What does she think about?
And what does she do in the daylight
That makes her so great?
Oh but to be,
Oh but to be,
Oh but to be,
I'd like to be
My older sister
She flies throught the back door,
She's my older sister
She throws French phrases 'round the room
She has ice skates and legs that fit right in
She's wicked to all the beaming dreamers
Who'll later boast of an evening
By her fiery side
Oh but to be,
Oh but to be,
Oh but to be,
I'd like to be
My older sister
And in her black gymnastic tights
She runs into some elastic nights
Sophisticated sister sings for the
Soldiers of the soccer team
Their silver I.D.'s and sororities
They tinker with love in their Model T's
Oh lord, won't you let me be her for just one day
She turns everybody's heads
While I wear her last year's threads
With patches and stitches and a turned up hem
Oh, but to be,
Oh but to be,
I'd like to be,
Just once to be
My older sister
She's my older sister
She knows her power over me
She goes to bed an hour later than I do
When she turns the lights out
What does she think about?
And what does she do in the daylight
That makes her so great?
Oh but to be,
Oh but to be,
Oh but to be,
I'd like to be
My older sister
She flies throught the back door,
She's my older sister
She throws French phrases 'round the room
She has ice skates and legs that fit right in
She's wicked to all the beaming dreamers
Who'll later boast of an evening
By her fiery side
Oh but to be,
Oh but to be,
Oh but to be,
I'd like to be
My older sister
And in her black gymnastic tights
She runs into some elastic nights
Sophisticated sister sings for the
Soldiers of the soccer team
Their silver I.D.'s and sororities
They tinker with love in their Model T's
Oh lord, won't you let me be her for just one day
She turns everybody's heads
While I wear her last year's threads
With patches and stitches and a turned up hem
Oh, but to be,
Oh but to be,
I'd like to be,
Just once to be
My older sister
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
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.
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.