"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.
there's no way that i can talk myself out of this one tonite and there's no way that i can ever win with you. i've sung the same song. i've sang it for way too long. and now the melody is finally escaping me. there's no way that i can talk myself out of this one tonite. every one is my last. but now you should know what to say. by now you should know all of this by heart. by now you should know what to say.
Lyrics submitted by cobold0815
There's No Way I Can Talk Myself Out Of This One Tonite (The Drinking Song) song meanings
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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,
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Who gives a shit? If you like these bands so much you should want them to be successful and for people to hear them and buy their cds/go to their shows, so they don't have to work shitty day jobs and can make a living off what they love doing and are good at. I hate closed-minded people who think like you do.
Some of the guys were in Shelter and 108 before TITR which in case you don't know were Krishna-core bands but they actually formed Texas is The Reason to break away from religous preaching, I think you can interpret the song as you wish, it's not exactly as if they are saying it's literal, it could just be a hypothetical situation about someone else or even a metaphor, besides as far as i know Garret, the singer, wasn't hare krishna or edge or anything else so he can sing about what he wants I guess?
onto the actual meaning it's just a song about being obsessed with one thing for a long time and not being able to let go, always having to go back for more like the line "every one is my last..." which is like when u say "o.k! last chocolate!" and then just have one more and one more etc etc. I suppose it could be interpreted as alcohol addiction but more likely a girl he was in love with and uses the alcohol like a metaphor i.e he needs it and he needs her, she is the song he's been singing for too long. that's my take on it i guess. my favourite song is blue boy off the split with TPR it's amazing.
and FINALLY all you kids saying "i am so glad no-one knows about TITR!" you weren't even walking when they were together so shut up. Plus being individual is about liking things because you think they are good NOT because everyone likes it. Being individual is NOT about disliking things just because everyone else likes it. Just use your own mind and do your own thing it's pathetic to not like a band because you're scared of them becoming, dare i say it, "cool" and because you are such a big individual you just couldn't bare to listen to a "popular" band.
TITR rocks so hard...too bad no one really knows why they are =/
They rocked so hard that they all rocked themselves out of the band and into new bands!
on of these guys used to be in shelter, one of the others used to be in Battery
They were supposed to sign to a major label the night they broke up...columbia, I believe, but they never got the chance because they hated each other after touring for so long.
titr are absolutely amazing, but it sucks that they're no longer together.
does this song have a spacific story behind it?
i agree with thecuriousgirl. I hate it when bands I love become mainstream or when everyone starts listening to them (aka Dashboard when Vindicated was on Spiderman 2.)
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