"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.
These chords are old but we shake hands
Cause I believe that they're the good guys
We can use all the help we can
So many minor chords outside
I fell in love with the sound
Oh I love to sing along with you
We got tunes we kicked around some
We got a bucket that the tunes go through
Babe we both had dry spells
Hard times in bad lands
I'm a good man for ya
I'm a good man
Last night there was a horse in the road
I was twisting in the hairpin
My hands held on my mind let go
And back to you my heart went skipping
I found the inside of the road
Thought about the first time that I met you
All those glances that we stole
Sometimes if you want them then you've got to
Babe we both had dry spells
Hard times in bad lands
I' a good man for ya
I' a good man
They shot a Western south of here
They had him cornered in a canyon
And even his horse had disappeared
They said it got run down by a bad, bad man
You're not a good shot but I'm worse
And there's so much where we ain't been yet
So swing up on this little horse
The only thing we'll hit is sunset
Babe we both had dry spells
Hard times in bad lands
I'm a good man for ya
I'm a good man
Cause I believe that they're the good guys
We can use all the help we can
So many minor chords outside
I fell in love with the sound
Oh I love to sing along with you
We got tunes we kicked around some
We got a bucket that the tunes go through
Babe we both had dry spells
Hard times in bad lands
I'm a good man for ya
I'm a good man
Last night there was a horse in the road
I was twisting in the hairpin
My hands held on my mind let go
And back to you my heart went skipping
I found the inside of the road
Thought about the first time that I met you
All those glances that we stole
Sometimes if you want them then you've got to
Babe we both had dry spells
Hard times in bad lands
I' a good man for ya
I' a good man
They shot a Western south of here
They had him cornered in a canyon
And even his horse had disappeared
They said it got run down by a bad, bad man
You're not a good shot but I'm worse
And there's so much where we ain't been yet
So swing up on this little horse
The only thing we'll hit is sunset
Babe we both had dry spells
Hard times in bad lands
I'm a good man for ya
I'm a good man
Lyrics submitted by EffulgentEnnui
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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,
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.
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.
Think this is about music but more specifically Simple Chords. Says it right in the first phrase. "These chords are old but we shake hands", but there are "so many minor chords outside". The "bucket that the tunes go through" is his guitar. Second verse "My hands held on my mind let go" is a reference to using more difficult chords but then... "back to you my heart went skippin'" OH and "stealing glances with the chords" is an example of a literary technique called personification (I believe). You also can't shake hands with a chord, but he says it flat out in the first phrase. Last verse I'm still trying to make complete sense of, but basically the song does have a western feel. I believe when he says "You're not a good shot but I'm worse", he is cleverly stating that their relationship is a "long shot". The "little horse" I believe he is referring to is again his guitar.
Just a thought.
@dontlistentome Hi, can you tell me more about this interpretation. I can not quite understand the passages: "We got tunes we kicked around, some We got a bucket que the tunes go through." And "Last night there was a horse in the road I was twisting in the hairpin." And "They shot Western south of here. They had him cornered in a canyon. "I'm trying to understand this music, my native language is not English, so I'm having dificudades. Can you elaborate on and if possible rewrite for me the same phrases but in a simpler way?It helps me a lot.
This one reminds me a lot of Brandi Carlile's song "The Story." In both cases, you can read the lyrics as an artist's love for the music. But you can also read them as a straight-up love song. The balanced ambiguity is beautiful in both cases.
This song has distinct "Western," John Ford-type theme to it. Josh does an excellent job of weaving the story of a "good man" in the context of the American cowboy. The only specific reference I can get is the "They shot a Western south of here" verse. It seems to be a distinct reference to 'The Lone Ranger,' a 1950s TV show where the lead character was a former U.S. ranger whose convoy was ambushed in a canyon by outlaws. He was the only survivor and was rescued by an Indian and went on to represent a type of vigilante "good" man, hunting outlaws by himself. The verse seems to be a distinct reference to that particular show. Another awesome song.
I wanted this song to mean a lot of things but the reason I'm coming back to it (after the last post was what.. 10 years ago?) is because I think everyone sort of got it right but not quite.
Think of it as a cover band's love letter to an artist or even an artist asking to replay another song by someone they greatly respect. It's not unheard of for someone to go all out to get permission to cover or even use a song in a film (Jack Black and Led Zeppelin come to mind for "School of Rock"). This song plays like Josh is shaking hands across time with an artist that is accomplished but, like him, writes tracks they are proud of and tracks they are not. Doesn't stop him from loving their stuff and asking - politely - if they'd like to let him use it.
With that in mind, it suddenly starts to make an awful lot of sense and even the Lone Ranger imagery seems to place the moment in time.
When I first heard this song, I thought for a second it was a cover of some long-lost Bob Dylan number, which I think is a pretty big compliment. Definitely a "different" kind of love song, but one with such sincerity and bluntness in the poetry of the lyrics.
It always makes me think of sitting at the top of the Grand Canyon in perfect silence (only the occasional bird tweeting) with someone you love, or driving through the surrounding country, just you and one other person and good music. It's just about two people who aren't perfect, but who somehow belong together. I don't know. I'm Australian and this is verging on American country/folk music, so what do I know? It's just a beautiful song.
This song is a testament to Josh Ritter's undying love for making music. He's not talking about a girl, even though that's what it sounds like. He's professing his love for playing his guitar, and playing it well.
How can you steal glances at your guitar? I could see it being his music except for that line. -"All those glances that we stole." It implies that there is in fact another person here
I think it's all about his guitar. I've stolen/exchanged LOTS of glances with some nice pretty guitars up on the wall at the music store that I knew I couldn't afford. Why? Because as Josh sings, "Sometimes if you want them then you've got to"! How could I ever leave a shop like that without at least "looking" at them? haha! ;-)
It's called Personification - Look it up. Do you really think you can shake hands with a chord?
Sounds more to me like he's speaking how even though he and his love aren't perfect, music seems to bring them together; forgetting imperfections.
what a good love song. by comparing them he's implying that the two of them are good for each other and deserve each other.
aside from the amazing lyrics, the tune and beat of this song are on point. i love it.
what a good love song. by comparing them he's implying that the two of them are good for each other and deserve each other.
aside from the amazing lyrics, the tune and beat of this song are on point. i love it.