"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 saw it in a dream
The day that changed our history
I still can hear the screams
Swear it was no mystery
In the heat of the blast
Houses fell down into the ground
This happened so fast
Mankind disappeared without sound
Now the world lives in shadow of atomic fear
Can we win the fight for peace or will we disappear?
Future Shock
I saw it on the screen
The day that changed our lives and history
There goes our dream
Nuked into the sky don't know why
In the heat of the blast
Watch the beauty of the mushroom cast
It won't take long
You won't live till the end of this song
Now the...
The day that changed our history
I still can hear the screams
Swear it was no mystery
In the heat of the blast
Houses fell down into the ground
This happened so fast
Mankind disappeared without sound
Now the world lives in shadow of atomic fear
Can we win the fight for peace or will we disappear?
Future Shock
I saw it on the screen
The day that changed our lives and history
There goes our dream
Nuked into the sky don't know why
In the heat of the blast
Watch the beauty of the mushroom cast
It won't take long
You won't live till the end of this song
Now the...
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
This song is about a premonition someone has had about the end of the world. He describes how he saw in a dream the world being destroyed in a nuclear explosion. It may be to do with the fear of nuclear war.