"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.
when I hear the screeching weather vane
in the wild wind and the pissing rain
I know that one of us, I'm not saying who,
has got rocks in her head
the rain comes through the open window
but you don't think so
I sure do love you (2x)
when I notice that the radio is broken
I see you standing there in the doorway soaking
the water drizzles off of you down to the floor
and I say that I don't want to live in new England anymore
some flower petals stick to your skin
I grab hold of your hip, and I pull you in
when the building establishes control
when the thunder from the north begins to roll down our way
I know I've been right all along
and you start singing that stupid children's song
you think I don't know it
but I just don't feel like singing it
sure do love you
I sure do love you
in the wild wind and the pissing rain
I know that one of us, I'm not saying who,
has got rocks in her head
the rain comes through the open window
but you don't think so
I sure do love you (2x)
when I notice that the radio is broken
I see you standing there in the doorway soaking
the water drizzles off of you down to the floor
and I say that I don't want to live in new England anymore
some flower petals stick to your skin
I grab hold of your hip, and I pull you in
when the building establishes control
when the thunder from the north begins to roll down our way
I know I've been right all along
and you start singing that stupid children's song
you think I don't know it
but I just don't feel like singing it
sure do love you
I sure do love you
Lyrics submitted by cheerupemokid, edited by ShalomM
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
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.
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,
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.
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.
"This is a song, takes place in California, it was on the first CD. It's about that moment in which you know it's not gonna get any better, but you're going to prove to somebody exactly how strong you are."
I've been listening to his live shows all day.
@tragicweek Interesting. I always thought it took place in New England. Knowing that it takes place in California completely changes the meaning. So the narrator has always wanted to leave California but this is the moment he decides he likes his life the way it is. Nice.
that one line, "and i say that i don't want to live in new england anymore"
outstanding. Got me into the mountain goats.
I think this song is about when I was in a relationship with one of the most amazing people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Things weren't going well because we weren't communicating, and rather than try to fix it I just ignored it in the hopes that it would go away. I still regret not realizing that that's what I was doing at the time....the rain came in the open window, but I didn't think so. There was a lot of love there, but given our personal failings it ended up being a destructive instead of a constructive relationship.
But, despite knowing now that I was the one with the rocks in her head, I think we learned a lot about ourselves from the time we spent together, brief as it was. I'd apologize for all of it if I could, but I don't regret any of it.
I think this is about how he over thinks everything while this girl doesn't, and it bothers him that nothing bad happens to her for it. But he appreciates it for what it is.
Typically I think of the image of an impending storm as signifying an oncoming trouble or conflict, one which the narrator sees (the weather vane, wild win, etc.) but she refuses to acknowledge, even to the point of leaving the window open and getting caught out in the rain. I think this frustrates the narrator, saying she has rocks in her head. It seems whatever the impending conflict is (not wanting to live in New England?), and however pessimistic about their chances to work it out the narrator is, he still loves her, which makes the song sadly sweet, and completely doomed, which seems to be sort of a theme of TMG. Great song. I second how great that line "I don't want to live in New England..." is.