"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 don't believe in an interventionist God
But I know, darling, that you do
But if I did, I would kneel down and ask Him
Not to intervene when it came to you
Oh, not to touch a hair on your head
Leave you as you are
If he felt he had to direct you
Then direct you into my arms
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms
And I don't believe in the existence of angels
But looking at you I wonder if that's true
But if I did I would summon them together
And ask them to watch over you
Both to each burn a candle for you
To make bright and clear your path
And to walk, like Christ, in grace and love
And guide you into my arms
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms
But I believe in Love
And I know that you do, too
And I believe in some kind of path
That we can walk down, me and you
So keep your candles burning
Make her journey bright and pure
That she'll keep returning
Always and evermore
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms
But I know, darling, that you do
But if I did, I would kneel down and ask Him
Not to intervene when it came to you
Oh, not to touch a hair on your head
Leave you as you are
If he felt he had to direct you
Then direct you into my arms
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms
And I don't believe in the existence of angels
But looking at you I wonder if that's true
But if I did I would summon them together
And ask them to watch over you
Both to each burn a candle for you
To make bright and clear your path
And to walk, like Christ, in grace and love
And guide you into my arms
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms
But I believe in Love
And I know that you do, too
And I believe in some kind of path
That we can walk down, me and you
So keep your candles burning
Make her journey bright and pure
That she'll keep returning
Always and evermore
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms, oh Lord
Into my arms
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"the lyrics aren't that bad" Nick Cave is one of the greatest songwriters ever the only person whos better that comes to mind is Leonard Cohen
I choose this song as my wedding song as it just seemed so appropriate and how I felt. I feel the song is almost a prayer to say thank you for having this woman in his life and it is almost a plea to say please look after her and to keep her safe in his life so that they may journey in life together. It is this journey that he believes that provides the meaning in his life and is why he is almost pleading to the Lord to keep her safe.
I agree, this song is about perfection, about platonic love, about how it feels when you love a person in the very purest sense of the verb "to love".
corruption? perfection? Platonic love? what are you all talking about? The song speaks for itself, it's a romantic torch song. It's a beautiful piano line, but let's face it, these aren't exactly Nick's best lyrics, not that they should be - it's a simple little diddie of a song.
And Karma330, please do us all a favor and don't comment on a song you've never heard...but if you must, have it make sense.
Oh, and liammacrae1, while I do realyze that a whole lot of what appears to be love songs are actually about drug use; how the FUCK does heroin belive in an interventionist god?!
I think this is one of the best love songs ever written.
I agree with JASGripen's comments about Into My Arms' first stanza transforming intervention into something bad.
krburg and productofthe80s, please compare the lyrics of West Country Girl, Black Hair and Green Eyes (which are definatly about P.J.) to Into My Arms. All songs are off the same album (The Boatman's Call) and presumably written around the same time. The Boatman's Call is Nick cave's "breakup album" and I don't think this song is about anyone in particular, but if itwas, I doubt it would be P.J.
Also, I don't understand where the comments about the lyrics being "a little corrupt" or about "a corrupted man being humbled by love" are coming from. This is simply a love song no more, no less. It is not aout either platonic love or perfection, all though the theme of perfection is present from Nick's idolisation and romanticisation of the woman as being angelic.
Hmm... I think you are all maybe seeking something what does not exist. But It is not a mistake, sometimes I do so, but I think there is'not better explanation to this song that Nick has simply written some very, very specific and wonderful prayer. And he says simply, that we can love each other ( you and your beloved one ) despite being different, having different believs, different colou of skin and whatever. A music video of this song proofs this too. And maybe - another aspect that you've mentioned - the platonic love. I see it there too, because Nick Cave speaks here of love in most divine form, mos saint and ( from my own expriencis ) this kind of love in this highest point, as I can say, cleans out all other "human" aspect of love... maybe... but as well as this maybe not... it depends of you, how you will explain it... ;-)
wow..i think it must just be me but i cant help but think this song is about death. i guess in a way it is a love song.. but to me about a dead person. its almost as if the persona, who had never previously belived in god, is asking him to look after that person who has passed, is pleading to leave that person exactly as they are, and is almost asking that in the chance that the loved one needs to be directed to another place, that it one day be back into the persona's arms. Its interesting that i feel that interpretation from that song, seeing as even though i believe in some kind of higher presence, i wouldnt consider myself religious. I dont know i guess if i died i would want my special someone to think of me in this way.
@.:interpreted:. Exactly my thoughts too. Seems like he's saying he believes in a God but not an interventional one, but he hopes that maybe God can make an exception in this case.
@.:interpreted:. \r\nWe played this song, last Friday, at the funeral of my father. I also have this association with a deceased person.\r\n\r\n So keep your candles burning\r\n Make her journey bright and pure\r\n That she\'ll keep returning\r\n Always and evermore\r\n\r\nWe also burned candles and my father will always keep returning in our memories…
To me I think this song is simply about that "special someone" who is perfect as he or she is and not wanting them to ever encounter harm. Hence the lyrics
"I would kneel down and ask him Not to intervene when it came to you Oh, not to touch a hair on your head Leave you as you are"
"But if I did I would summon them together Ask them to watch over you Oh, to each burn a candle for you To make bright and clear your path"
A song of absolute surrender. To acknowledge that nothing is more important than the love that has been discovered and that nothing is purer. Not even the deepest of beliefs.