"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.
Watch me now
Waitress all dressed like nurses in bondage
Brought me the check, said "I want you to sign this"
Union boy standing next to the rastas
"There's gonna be a strike and you ain't gonna stop us"
Three men standing and they love what they do
You won't see it coming, cause they wanna surprise you
Consider it done, they're gonna stand right by you
American punks don't care about you
Hollywood what you gonna do?
[Chorus]
Don't say that you don't understand
Don't say that you can't comprehend
Don't say that you don't understand, this is California Babylon, my man
Don't say that you don't understand
Don't say that you can't comprehend
Don't say that you don't understand, this is California Babylon, my man
Don't say that you don't understand
Don't say that you can't comprehend
Don't say that you can't understand, this is California Babylon, my man
You can take away the nights with sights of bright lights
Sheiks still ride, engage in street fights
Two to the head, pull around, he's dead
Suspect fled, caught up with bloodshed
No sign of hope, we fight and sling dope
Junkies to our left, no fix, they can't cope
Violence won't cease, hand me the chrome piece
No peace or sleep, we fight with police
This is the city that'll make all your dreams come true
So pay attention
[Chorus]
At last she had arrived, we turned in exhausted
Cocaine in her pocket, she can get busted
Once again she passes, now she's gone
Now she's with her friend, her beautiful young
She showed up on the scene, she was 17
Now she's 21, she does some more coke, she does some more coke
She drinks some whiskey and she smokes some dope
She thinks she's a star
Do you know who you are?
Waitress all dressed like nurses in bondage
Brought me the check, said "I want you to sign this"
Union boy standing next to the rastas
"There's gonna be a strike and you ain't gonna stop us"
Three men standing and they love what they do
You won't see it coming, cause they wanna surprise you
Consider it done, they're gonna stand right by you
American punks don't care about you
Hollywood what you gonna do?
[Chorus]
Don't say that you don't understand
Don't say that you can't comprehend
Don't say that you don't understand, this is California Babylon, my man
Don't say that you don't understand
Don't say that you can't comprehend
Don't say that you don't understand, this is California Babylon, my man
Don't say that you don't understand
Don't say that you can't comprehend
Don't say that you can't understand, this is California Babylon, my man
You can take away the nights with sights of bright lights
Sheiks still ride, engage in street fights
Two to the head, pull around, he's dead
Suspect fled, caught up with bloodshed
No sign of hope, we fight and sling dope
Junkies to our left, no fix, they can't cope
Violence won't cease, hand me the chrome piece
No peace or sleep, we fight with police
This is the city that'll make all your dreams come true
So pay attention
[Chorus]
At last she had arrived, we turned in exhausted
Cocaine in her pocket, she can get busted
Once again she passes, now she's gone
Now she's with her friend, her beautiful young
She showed up on the scene, she was 17
Now she's 21, she does some more coke, she does some more coke
She drinks some whiskey and she smokes some dope
She thinks she's a star
Do you know who you are?
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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.
Head > Heels
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Ed Sheeran
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Amazing
Ed Sheeran
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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.
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.
About moral decadence on the West Coast?
About brody dalle from the distillers? (tims ex g/f) she came from australia @ 17 to california
goddamn it. its not Two to the head, pull around, he's dead its pool of red not pull around. you can hear it if you listen to it closely
definetly two to the head, get out of here
At last she had arrived, we turned in exhausted Cocaine in her pocket, she can get busted Once again she passes, now she's gone Now she's with her friend, her beautiful young She showed up on the scene, she was 17 Now she's 21, she does some more coke, she does some more coke She drinks some whiskey and she smokes some dope She thinks she's a star Do you know who you are?
im pretty sure that last paragraph is about brody dalle
"California Babylon" is on the 2002 album, together with "Weight on my Mind" (ft. Brody), and the booklet shows a picture of Tim wearing his wedding ring ... so how can the song refer to Brody? Besides, she was not 21 at that time.
The album "Transplants" was recorded from 2000-2002 therefor Brody Dalle WAS 21 around the time the song may have been written. Also, she was 16 when she met Tim and 17 when she hit the scene in California/U.S. It's very clear that the last paragraph is about Brody, the whole song might even be about her, there is alot of references to her in the song if you really pay attention. Perhaps their relationship was on the rough even when the album was being made (since they broke up only a year after the album was released).
Its about the pigs which are also refered to as the babylon
I LOVE this song. Heard it for years while playing Tony Hawk's Underground, then bought the album when I got old enough to realise how much I loved the song.
I love that the line "This is the city that'll make all your dreams come true" comes right after the rap part about drugs and violence. That speaks to me like this: sometimes, no matter how many horrible qualities a person/place has, some people are so attracted by the superficial things that they become narrow sighted, and fail to see the big bloody picture; and what's inside is ALWAYS more important than what appears on the surface.
P.S. - I agree 100% that the last lines were written about Tim's then-wife Brody Armstrong. Or Dalle. Or Homme now, I don't know.