"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.
She's shaking down
I'm absent and numb from shock
Reachin' around
For the hands of the clock
Sugar light
Lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up
Cupid's trick
Comes down to shake and deal
A stupid kick
That makes me reel
Sugar light
Lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up
She's shaking down
It's never over and done
So kick me, cave me in
I'm no one
Lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up
I'm absent and numb from shock
Reachin' around
For the hands of the clock
Sugar light
Lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up
Cupid's trick
Comes down to shake and deal
A stupid kick
That makes me reel
Sugar light
Lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up
She's shaking down
It's never over and done
So kick me, cave me in
I'm no one
Lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up, it's my lie
Sugar, lip me up
Lyrics submitted by EnjOy IncUbus
Cupid's Trick Lyrics as written by Steven Paul Smith
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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More Featured Meanings
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Hayalperest
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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.
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,
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.
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.
Elliott Smith is qouoted in Spin Magazine saying, "I've written alot of stuff being on something. Drinking or doing drugs doesn't make it any easier, but it's differient, you know?... that song, 'Cupids Trick' on Either/Or- the rock song? I made that up while in a state, and I have no idea what I was talking about. It made perfect sense to me at the time, but now it's just a bunch of words."
@katei That makes more sense to me than any futile attempt at analysis.
well, i think the lyrics are "Sugar lick me up" and i think he knew exactly what he was writing.... and used drugs as his excuse in order to aviod discussing it he was probably embarrassed about the lyrics, but liked the song the lyrics are very sexual, at least that's what i think and really his only sexual song
but i could be wrong, so feel free to tell me i'm an idiot
you have no idea how hard i would fuck elliott to this song. i worship him.
This comment made me laugh so hard.
@himtopia i would too except it would be over the song christian brothers
According to this interview, Elliott says he wrote this song when he was "in a state", and he says he doesn't remember what the song is about. He also claims to have been embarrassed by the lyrics because he felt they were stupid, and thus they weren't printed on the CD sleeve. He was so embarrassed that when the interviewer further inquired he repeated that it wasn't on the sleeve for a reason.
I think it sounds great. Incredibly interesting, and unique. It can be interpreted however, I guess, in light of this.
cwas.hinah.com/interview/
The first verse is talking about the come-down of a sexual climax and reaching over to see the time followed by lingering regret. The chorus is pretty explicit; needs to explanation. Second verse is about catching feelings after the encounter. The third verse is about doing "it" again.
It's a very sexual song.
This song isn't about sex or adultery for gods sakes. It's about the pain of being a fake, being forced even to trick love.
The lyrics to this song aren't in the album booklet for Either/Or supposedly because Elliott didn't remember writing the song... I think it's kind of evident about what it's about.
This is a really interesting song. We'll probably never know the real meaning to these lyrics. But it is a good song, I like it alot.
I fucking love this song.
Maybe it means exactly what the title says: Cupid's trick. From the story of all his other music, maybe this song is about tricking yourself into bad love that was obviously doom from the beginning but still too hard to resist. Or maybe he's saying that about something else he's addicted to, other than his emotions.