"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.
Want to tell you a story
About the house-man blues
I come home one Friday
Had to tell the landlady I'da lost my job
She said that don't confront me
Long as I get my money next Friday
Now next Friday come I didn't get the rent
And out the door I went
So I goes to the landlady
I said you let me slide?
I'll have the rent for you in a month
Next I don't know
So said let me slide it on you know people
I notice when I come home in the evening
She ain't got nothing nice to say to me
But for five year she was so nice
Loh' she was lovy-dovy
I come home one particular evening
The landlady said you got the rent money yet?
I said no, can't find no job
Therefore I ain't got no money to pay the rent
She said I don't believe you're tryin' to find no job
Said I seen you today you was standin' on a corner
Leaning up against a post
I said but I'm tired, I've been walkin' all day
She said that don't confront me
Long as I get my money next Friday
Now next Friday come I didn't have the rent
And out the door I went
So I go down the streets
Down to my good friend's house
I said look man I'm outdoors you know
Can I stay with you maybe a couple days?
He said let me go and ask my wife
He come out of the house
I could see it in his face
I know that was no
He said I don't know man ah she kinda funny, you know
I said I know, everybody funny, now you funny too
So I go back home
I tell the landlady I got a job, I'm gonna pay the rent
She said yeah, I said oh yeah
And then she was so nice
Loh' she was lovy-dovy
So I go in my room, pack up my things and I go
I slip on out the back door and down the streets I go
She a-howlin' about the front rent, she'll be lucky to get any back rent
She ain't gonna get none of it
So I stop in the local bar you know people
I go to the bar, I ring my coat, I call the bartender
Said look man, come down here, he got down there
So what you want?
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
Well I ain't seen my baby since I don't know when
I've been drinking bourbon, whiskey, scotch and gin
Gonna get high man I'm gonna get loose
Need me a triple shot of that juice
Gonna get drunk don't you have no fear
I want one bourbon, one scotch and one beer
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
But I'm sitting now at the bar
I'm getting drunk, I'm feelin' mellow
I'm drinkin' bourbon, I'm drinkin' scotch, I'm drinkin' beer
Looked down the bar
Here come the bartender
I said look man, come down here
So what you want?
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
No I ain't seen my baby since the night before last
Gotta get a drink man I'm gonna get gassed
Gonna get high man I ain't had enough
Need me a triple shot of that stuff
Gonna get drunk won't you listen right here
I want one bourbon, one shot and one beer
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
Yeah
Scratch my back, baby
Ah
Now by this time I'm plenty high
You know when your mouth a-getting dry
You're plenty high
Looked down the bar I say to my bartender
I said look man, come down here, he got down there
So what you want this time?
I said look man, a-what time is it?
He said the clock on the wall say three o'clock
Last call for alcohol
So what you need?
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
No I ain't seen my baby since a nigh' and a week
Gotta get drunk man 'til I can't even speak
Gonna get high man listen to me
One drink ain't enough Jack you better make it three
I want to get drunk I'm gonna make it real clear
I want one bourbon, one scotch and one beer
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
About the house-man blues
I come home one Friday
Had to tell the landlady I'da lost my job
She said that don't confront me
Long as I get my money next Friday
Now next Friday come I didn't get the rent
And out the door I went
So I goes to the landlady
I said you let me slide?
I'll have the rent for you in a month
Next I don't know
So said let me slide it on you know people
I notice when I come home in the evening
She ain't got nothing nice to say to me
But for five year she was so nice
Loh' she was lovy-dovy
I come home one particular evening
The landlady said you got the rent money yet?
I said no, can't find no job
Therefore I ain't got no money to pay the rent
She said I don't believe you're tryin' to find no job
Said I seen you today you was standin' on a corner
Leaning up against a post
I said but I'm tired, I've been walkin' all day
She said that don't confront me
Long as I get my money next Friday
Now next Friday come I didn't have the rent
And out the door I went
So I go down the streets
Down to my good friend's house
I said look man I'm outdoors you know
Can I stay with you maybe a couple days?
He said let me go and ask my wife
He come out of the house
I could see it in his face
I know that was no
He said I don't know man ah she kinda funny, you know
I said I know, everybody funny, now you funny too
So I go back home
I tell the landlady I got a job, I'm gonna pay the rent
She said yeah, I said oh yeah
And then she was so nice
Loh' she was lovy-dovy
So I go in my room, pack up my things and I go
I slip on out the back door and down the streets I go
She a-howlin' about the front rent, she'll be lucky to get any back rent
She ain't gonna get none of it
So I stop in the local bar you know people
I go to the bar, I ring my coat, I call the bartender
Said look man, come down here, he got down there
So what you want?
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
Well I ain't seen my baby since I don't know when
I've been drinking bourbon, whiskey, scotch and gin
Gonna get high man I'm gonna get loose
Need me a triple shot of that juice
Gonna get drunk don't you have no fear
I want one bourbon, one scotch and one beer
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
But I'm sitting now at the bar
I'm getting drunk, I'm feelin' mellow
I'm drinkin' bourbon, I'm drinkin' scotch, I'm drinkin' beer
Looked down the bar
Here come the bartender
I said look man, come down here
So what you want?
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
No I ain't seen my baby since the night before last
Gotta get a drink man I'm gonna get gassed
Gonna get high man I ain't had enough
Need me a triple shot of that stuff
Gonna get drunk won't you listen right here
I want one bourbon, one shot and one beer
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
Yeah
Scratch my back, baby
Ah
Now by this time I'm plenty high
You know when your mouth a-getting dry
You're plenty high
Looked down the bar I say to my bartender
I said look man, come down here, he got down there
So what you want this time?
I said look man, a-what time is it?
He said the clock on the wall say three o'clock
Last call for alcohol
So what you need?
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
No I ain't seen my baby since a nigh' and a week
Gotta get drunk man 'til I can't even speak
Gonna get high man listen to me
One drink ain't enough Jack you better make it three
I want to get drunk I'm gonna make it real clear
I want one bourbon, one scotch and one beer
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
First written by Rudy Toombs and recorded by Amos Milburn in 1953 One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer was first made popular by John Lee Hooker, and since recorded by numerous artists. Perhaps the most widely renowned record is that of George Thorogood and The Destroyers in 1977. Thorogood's version is a combination on One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer and the song House Rent Boogie written and recorded by John Lee Hooker. Thorogood uses the situation with the rent as a back drop to why he is drinking so heavily, while also remaining true to the original idea that loneliness was driving his drinking.
The song also contains a reference to the song "Baby, Scratch My Back" recorded by Slim Harpo where Thorogood asks "Scratch my back baby" and mimics the guitar riff from Harpo's recording.
Ah, good ol' Thorogood. Another of my partyin' songs that I just recently discovered...so many possibilities
If I didn't have money to pay the rent, I'd have to spend a bit a get one Jack, one Chivas, and one Heiny. Can't get hung over. What would you get?
love the part with the guitar solo towards the middlish beginingish part...OH yeah, lol. george rocks...
I think.... I think it's the delivery of this song that I love so much. He sings in that cigarette-scorched, whiskey-stained voice, and almost slurs the words. His guitar playing snarls with a drunken reckless abandon. Makes you believe that he means what he sings about.
He does mean what he sings about, being that he's a drunk
He's got a lot of great drinking songs. And I love how this song tells a story and the way he tells it.
"I said I know, everybody funny, now you funny too" - one of my favorite lines
this is one of the rare cases of the updated version being as good/better than the original--this is actually TWO Johnny Lee Hooker songs ('house rent blues' and 'one bourbon, one scotch, one beer) put together as one....great stuff!
nice hangwire at least somebody knows where this great song came from haha john lee hooker is the man
But notice how this how comments and the John Lee Hooker one does not. I looked at the lyrics of the other one, and although it is the original, I do not like sogs that do nothing but repeat the Chorus. George does not mention it ONCE until towards the end. I prefer this version much much better. kkhx3 I also love how he sings it, the whiskey strained voice adds to occassion. As I'm from the UK I don't think anyone else in school will like this song even as close to as I do >.>