"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.
The scattered pages of a book by the sea
Held by the sand, washed by the waves
A shadow forms cast by a cloud
Skimming by as eyes of the past
But the rising tide absorbs them, effortlessly claiming
They told of one who tired of all
Singing "Praise him, praise him"
"We heed not flatterers," he cried
"By our command, waters retreat
Show my power, halt at my feet"
But the cause was lost, now cold winds blow
Far from the north, overcast ranks advance
Fear of the storm accusing with rage and scorn
The waves surround the sinking throne
Singing "Crown him, crown him"
"Those who love our majesty,
Show themselves!", all bent their knee
But he forced a smile even though his hopes
Lay dashed where offerings fell
Where they fell
"Nothing can my peace destroy
As long as none smile"
More opened ears and opened eyes
And soon they dared to laugh
See a little man with his face turning red
Though his story's often told you can tell he's dead
Held by the sand, washed by the waves
A shadow forms cast by a cloud
Skimming by as eyes of the past
But the rising tide absorbs them, effortlessly claiming
They told of one who tired of all
Singing "Praise him, praise him"
"We heed not flatterers," he cried
"By our command, waters retreat
Show my power, halt at my feet"
But the cause was lost, now cold winds blow
Far from the north, overcast ranks advance
Fear of the storm accusing with rage and scorn
The waves surround the sinking throne
Singing "Crown him, crown him"
"Those who love our majesty,
Show themselves!", all bent their knee
But he forced a smile even though his hopes
Lay dashed where offerings fell
Where they fell
"Nothing can my peace destroy
As long as none smile"
More opened ears and opened eyes
And soon they dared to laugh
See a little man with his face turning red
Though his story's often told you can tell he's dead
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Can-Utility and the Coastliners Lyrics as written by Phil Collins Anthony Banks
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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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
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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
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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.
Can-Utility and the Coastliners is the fourth song on the 1972 album Foxtrot.
Can-Utility appears to be a word-play on the name of an old King, Canute (also spelled Kanute, or Knut) The Coastliners are his followers who in one version of the story are sycophants needing to be shown the truth, and in the other are the ones exposing the delusions of the king. Peter’s lyrics seem to weave elements of both tales into one, leading us from the near future of Get ‘em Out by Friday, to a quasi-mythical timeless area.
(following taken from several sources, including Wikipedia)
One version of the tale:
Canute, surrounded by sycophants and obsequious courtiers, had an unwelcome and undeserved reputation of being master of anything in the universe, especially the angry North Sea separating his two seats, England and Denmark. Irritated and tired of this ridiculous assertion, he placed his throne on the beach - but not to defy the incoming tide. He sat on the beach and let the waves engulf him precisely to demonstrate that he was not master of the seas, whatever anyone said.
Henry of Huntingdon, the 12th century chronicler, tells how Canute set his throne by the sea shore and commanded the tide to halt and not wet his feet and robes; but the tide failed to stop. According to Henry, Canute leapt backwards and said 'Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws'. He then hung his gold crown on a crucifix, and never wore it again.
This story may be apocryphal. While the contemporary Encomium Emmae has no mention of it, it would seem that so pious a dedication might have been recorded there, since the same source gives an 'eye-witness account of his lavish gifts to the monasteries and poor of St Omer when on the way to Rome, and of the tears and breast-beating which accompanied them'. Goscelin, writing later in the 11th century, instead has Canute place his crown on a crucifix at Winchester one Easter, with no mention of the sea, and 'with the explanation that the king of kings was more worthy of it than he'. However there may be a 'basis of fact, in a planned act of piety,' behind this story, and Henry of Huntingdon cites it as an example of the king's 'nobleness and greatness of mind'. Later historians repeated the story, most of them adjusting it to have Canute more clearly aware that the tides would not obey him, and staging the scene to rebuke the flattery of his courtiers; and there are earlier Celtic parallels in stories of men who commanded the tides, namely Saint Illtud, Maelgwn, king of Gwynedd, and Tuirbe, of Tuirbe's Strand, in Brittany.
The encounter with the waves is said to have taken place at Bosham in West Sussex, or Southampton in Hampshire.
This event was also shown in a video from Sting’s Ten Summoner’s Tales I believe.
I like to think this is a parable to all leaders that we are all human, and that those in public office (or the entertainment industry) have a job to do and not a position to glamourize and alienate from everyone else. Utility is a public service.
Thank you for this insightful interpretation. The songs title has confused me for decades.
Since the meaning of this song is pretty clear, I would just like to say that this song played through REALLY GOOD headphones is probably one of the best sonic experiences on the planet =)
This is about King Kanute & the thing he had with the tide coming in - can't remember the whole story!
Indeed based on the story of King Canute and the tide. He apparantly ordered the seas to retreat to mock the sycophantry of his followers.
Very cool song. 4/5 stars.
Ignore my above comment, and look at K-nuxXx's comment.
To that I have to add that he fails, of course, and though he is famous, he's still dead, and never really accomplished anything.
Very beautiful song. Does anyone know how the tittle connects with the story?
This is one of the best progressive rock songs out there in my opinion. Peter's vocals are haunting and the violin and organ are prefect here.
wow, this is a great song! wonderful lyrics inspired by a sad story. Agree about Gabriel's singing, not to mention that punchy organ by banks, and collins with the awesome fills. Guitars fit in so well, such a well constructed and crafted piece of music
sigh, wish there was more music like this written today... maybe there is but I just haven't found it. Any recommendations?
J
Unfortunately, no. It bugs me. From just a musical perspective there is some interesting stuff out there - The Flower Kings, Porcupine Tree, etc. But these people are all older than the 22 years old that Genesis were when they wrote this. They're all INSPIRED by this music, so it doesn't seem that they have really taken their own path. The other strain seems to be a bunch of heavy metal bands who have worked up the occasional quirk (like a drummer who can play a double-bass drum like a machine gun - but has little other subtle talents) or likes to try and make it obvious that they are using "funny" time signatures, but don't seem to really have the natural heart of the early "progressive" movement. And that's the other thing - as far as lyrics and spirit are concerened I haven't found ANYONE to be able to write anything approaching the densely layered archetypes, fantasies, allegories, and stories of these early guys. Perhaps The Legendary Pink Dots (Edward Ka-Spel is a genius), though they stray away from the more traditional musicianship. Most of these metal bands then try to break progressive down into sub-sub-sub categories (just check out ProgArchives.com - it's ridiculous) so that they can try to categorise themselves along side their truly talented prog rock heroes. So - lots of points for being creative at all and getting albums out there, but I would prefer they try to make and refer to their own world of music than dilute one that has already existed. That said, Adrian Belew from King Crimson produced Tool and KC toured with them a while back, so there is some supprt for these kind of bands within "progressive" circles.
I read somewhere that this song was actually about an outdoor gig that was rained out and canceled due to bad weather. It was originally called "Bye Bye Johnnie". Lines like "the rising tide absorbs them effortlessly playing" could very well mean the band playing. And the King Kanute story could very well be a metaphor that fits this.