"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.
You left your door wide open
Couldn't help but walk in
It's the last place I should be
But I'm dying to see you
Have I held out for something
That is never going to happen?
It's not me that you love
You woke up cold this morning
Shied away from my touch
I would never mean to hurt you
Cause I love you so much
Was it always only one night
That you every wanted from me?
It's not me that you love
Couldn't help but walk in
It's the last place I should be
But I'm dying to see you
Have I held out for something
That is never going to happen?
It's not me that you love
You woke up cold this morning
Shied away from my touch
I would never mean to hurt you
Cause I love you so much
Was it always only one night
That you every wanted from me?
It's not me that you love
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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,
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
This song is so beautiful and bittersweet. It's about someone that feels this intense attraction for someone--and knows that they shouldn't because the other person will never return the feelings like they should--but they don't have the power to turn away. Something keeps pulling them back in and they cannot resist the need to be with the person. The person they love is in love with someone else and can't get past this other person long enough to realize what they have right in front of them--someone who is hopelessly waiting and wanting and yearning for them.
i dont think you can really say anything else!! ur so rite!!!
its a great song and amazing lyrics!!!!
i love this song, its even better live :)
I know, I didn't think it could get better. That solo is fantastic, so - as Aliel said - bittersweet.
this song makes me cry, it's so perfect.
i think it's about likeing someone so much and for some reason you get to spend the night with them. they like you but it's not enough for them, one night is not enough for you, maybe it would of been better if you had never tasted what you can never have... their heart will never be yours.
It's almost like a holiday romance or something as well. I met this guy right at the end of term, now I'm leaving and the 'what could have beens' are flying around! This song came on and just seemed to fit - weird
absolutely amazing song.
Seems to be about a one-night-stand gone bad or something. For anyone who saw the Grey's Anatomy episode when Meredith and George finally got together... it's a bit like that, although they never reached the 'you woke up cold this morning' bit. But yeah, it's like he slept with someone who he thought meant it, but the next morning the buzz wore off and she realized abruptly what had occured. Favorite song off 'When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up'...
this song describes exactly how i feel right now.. :/ it's such a good song. so sad.