"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.
Trendy Wendy's you know what I mean
Hangin' around with girl who's rolling up her jeans
She watches her street crack 'cause she's no dummy
Through rocking the microphone and she's calling me honey
Says I know what I want don't move with thugs
Well house parties hip hop and smoking drugs
And whoever's been the boss she's down with 'em
She's always on time 'cause the girl got rhythm
To avoid a complication I'll give some information
About a certain occasion under an illustration
'Cause when I host my show-a I avoid the girl called lola
Who's more pu-pu-public than the drink they call it coca cola
I'm just practice posing face is shaded in black
Is dominating as my color the massive attack
Right now I hit it kick it flow smooth hit middle wicket
I take a small step now it's a giant stride
People say I'm loud why should I hide
Only had a small taste so what a waste
I quietly observe though it's not my space
Bottom end's heavy you know we're never even
People call me Tricky for particular reason
I've got you see and I've got to let you know
See we're rockin' in your area rock beneath your balcony
My baby just cares for me well that's funny
Her touch tickles especially on my tummy
Now who's got the microphone
Now who's honey
A turbo turbo and charge with a charge
I be daddy g wild bunch crew at large
Don't call a officer just call me a sarge
Mashing up the country and also abroad
Plan to go to America when I get a visa card
But gettin' a visa card nowadays isn't hard
So keep your ears glued listen to every chord
Tokyo city's one place that we toured
Four technique plus two mixer board
Sharper than a Wilkinson razor sword
When I was a child I played subbuteo on
My table then I graduate to studio one
My nom de plume got my pseudo no
And around my neck you know I wear the sony budokan
Indigo blues you got me in my own shoes
The people dancing in the shape
For what they make they can't lose
Yes waxing lyrical but this time it's not satirical
It's kinda spherical so jam me in a
This is the miracle of the dubplate dub selection
So whether you're black white or half-caste in your complection
Yes pull out your phono plug and tuck you in your phony
It's started by Marconi resumed by Sony
A summary a while is a history and only
But massive attack enorme explosione
Get away with your guns now
We don't want it
Get away with your guns now
We don't like it
Eternal love eternal love
Money money money
Root of all evil
Money money money
Root of all evil
Hangin' around with girl who's rolling up her jeans
She watches her street crack 'cause she's no dummy
Through rocking the microphone and she's calling me honey
Says I know what I want don't move with thugs
Well house parties hip hop and smoking drugs
And whoever's been the boss she's down with 'em
She's always on time 'cause the girl got rhythm
To avoid a complication I'll give some information
About a certain occasion under an illustration
'Cause when I host my show-a I avoid the girl called lola
Who's more pu-pu-public than the drink they call it coca cola
I'm just practice posing face is shaded in black
Is dominating as my color the massive attack
Right now I hit it kick it flow smooth hit middle wicket
I take a small step now it's a giant stride
People say I'm loud why should I hide
Only had a small taste so what a waste
I quietly observe though it's not my space
Bottom end's heavy you know we're never even
People call me Tricky for particular reason
I've got you see and I've got to let you know
See we're rockin' in your area rock beneath your balcony
My baby just cares for me well that's funny
Her touch tickles especially on my tummy
Now who's got the microphone
Now who's honey
A turbo turbo and charge with a charge
I be daddy g wild bunch crew at large
Don't call a officer just call me a sarge
Mashing up the country and also abroad
Plan to go to America when I get a visa card
But gettin' a visa card nowadays isn't hard
So keep your ears glued listen to every chord
Tokyo city's one place that we toured
Four technique plus two mixer board
Sharper than a Wilkinson razor sword
When I was a child I played subbuteo on
My table then I graduate to studio one
My nom de plume got my pseudo no
And around my neck you know I wear the sony budokan
Indigo blues you got me in my own shoes
The people dancing in the shape
For what they make they can't lose
Yes waxing lyrical but this time it's not satirical
It's kinda spherical so jam me in a
This is the miracle of the dubplate dub selection
So whether you're black white or half-caste in your complection
Yes pull out your phono plug and tuck you in your phony
It's started by Marconi resumed by Sony
A summary a while is a history and only
But massive attack enorme explosione
Get away with your guns now
We don't want it
Get away with your guns now
We don't like it
Eternal love eternal love
Money money money
Root of all evil
Money money money
Root of all evil
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I was at a friends house party one time and I was dicking around on his computer in his room and I put this song on and this cute girl came in and declared 'ooo! this is sex music!' and started dancing all seductively...it kicked ass
My favorite on the album with Unfinished Sympathy and the one than held best over time, I find. Two notes:
No comments - what an outrage!
IMHO this is the best song on Blue Lines, and the best Tricky-Massive Attack work. Fabulous bass line and great lyrics, especially Daddy G's bits, such as:
Sharper than a Wilkinson razor sword
and
To avoid a complication I'll give some information About a certain location Under Paddington Station
Such a shame Massive do so few of their own vocals these days...
I agree. This is the best song on Blue Lines. Great delivery, great bass, great syncopation.
also, I thought it might be 'she watches her street CRACK, 'cause she's no dummy'
I always thought it was: "I know what I want/To move with thugs" rather than "...don't move with thugs," or at least that made more sense in the context of the song.