"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.
three seconds on the day of the Easter parade
there was a flower chilld running as fast as she can
a new shade of rays and some bucket shoes
and an angel of mercy strung from her hand like a balloon
"Is this what you want, is this what you need?" she whispered in her ear
"The day of love has come, are you awake?"
the sidewalk surfer through the colorful crowd
she is an island, as happy as can be
the hums and the drums of the marching band
and now they say, she ran and she ran through the city
"Be careful what you do, be careful what you say", and the angel disappeared
"The day of love has come, make no mistake"
she picks up her feet and she's through the crowd
with a desperate shout, pushing the pushers around
she down the stairs and onto the streets
through the barricades waving her hands to the sky
she stops right in front of the marching band and raises her voice
"The day of love has come, stop the parade"
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody really gives a damn ... dooby dooby doo waa
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody stops the marching band
eleven dancing girls in the pink and blue, and they're smiling
the sun's on the new polished brass
half a dozen flutes and the lonely sound of a clarinet
pushing and pulling on the crowd
left foot up and left foot down and music to the sky
"The day of love has come, let's have a parade"
two dark suits in the uniform from the side of the street
come running as fast as they can
she pleads to her knees to the officers "You must understand"
"I have had a revelation, and you must hear me out"
but they drag her away
"The day of love has come, so you say"
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody really gives a damn ... dooby dooby doo waa
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody stops the marching band
she picks herself up and she dusted off
then spun around, holding her head in her hand
two deep breaths and she's headed home
with an angel of mercy strung from her hand like a balloon
"Is this what you want, is this what you need?" she whispered in her ear
"The day of love has come, and are you awake?"
she sits in the window, the one by the door
the one with the sun on the shade
she looks at the smiles of the crowds on the street ...
watching the Easter parade
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody really gives a damn ... dooby dooby doo waa
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody stops the marching band (x4)
there was a flower chilld running as fast as she can
a new shade of rays and some bucket shoes
and an angel of mercy strung from her hand like a balloon
"Is this what you want, is this what you need?" she whispered in her ear
"The day of love has come, are you awake?"
the sidewalk surfer through the colorful crowd
she is an island, as happy as can be
the hums and the drums of the marching band
and now they say, she ran and she ran through the city
"Be careful what you do, be careful what you say", and the angel disappeared
"The day of love has come, make no mistake"
she picks up her feet and she's through the crowd
with a desperate shout, pushing the pushers around
she down the stairs and onto the streets
through the barricades waving her hands to the sky
she stops right in front of the marching band and raises her voice
"The day of love has come, stop the parade"
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody really gives a damn ... dooby dooby doo waa
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody stops the marching band
eleven dancing girls in the pink and blue, and they're smiling
the sun's on the new polished brass
half a dozen flutes and the lonely sound of a clarinet
pushing and pulling on the crowd
left foot up and left foot down and music to the sky
"The day of love has come, let's have a parade"
two dark suits in the uniform from the side of the street
come running as fast as they can
she pleads to her knees to the officers "You must understand"
"I have had a revelation, and you must hear me out"
but they drag her away
"The day of love has come, so you say"
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody really gives a damn ... dooby dooby doo waa
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody stops the marching band
she picks herself up and she dusted off
then spun around, holding her head in her hand
two deep breaths and she's headed home
with an angel of mercy strung from her hand like a balloon
"Is this what you want, is this what you need?" she whispered in her ear
"The day of love has come, and are you awake?"
she sits in the window, the one by the door
the one with the sun on the shade
she looks at the smiles of the crowds on the street ...
watching the Easter parade
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody really gives a damn ... dooby dooby doo waa
nobody cares that you finally fell in love, nobody stops the marching band (x4)
Lyrics submitted by sunBurnt
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
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.
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,
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
At a show way back when, Jay explained that he wrote this song when he was at a parade, where a girl, who had apparently set herself on fire, ran out in front of the band, stopped, and yelled "I'm in love!" Someone, Jonny I believe, suggested that she was trampled to death, but Jay said that he didn't know.