"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.
No words, my tears won't make any room for 'em
Oh, and it don't hurt
Like anything I've ever felt before
This is no broken heart
No familiar scars
This territory goes uncharted
Just me in a room sunk down in a house in a town
And I don't breathe
No, I never meant to let it get away from me
No, I'm too much to hold
Everybody has to get their hands on gold
And I want uncharted
Stuck under the ceiling I made
I can't help but feeling
I'm going down
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around
Like you'll show me where to go
I'm already out
A foolproof idea, so don't ask me how
To get started, it's all uncharted
La, la, la-la-ah, oh
Each day I'm countin' up the minutes
'Til I get alone, 'cause I can't stay
In the middle of it all, it's nobody's fault, but I'm
So alone, never knew how much I didn't know
Oh, everything is uncharted
I know I'm getting nowhere
When I only sit and stare like
I'm going down
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around
Like you'll show me where to go
I'm already out
A foolproof idea, so don't ask me how
To get started, it's all uncharted
Jump start my kaleidoscope heart
Love to watch the colors fade
They may not make sense
But they sure as hell made me
I won't go as a passenger, no
Waiting for the road to be laid
Though I may be going down
I'm taking flame over burning out
Compare
Where you are to where you want to be
And you'll get nowhere
I'm going down
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around
Like you'll show me where to go
I'm already out
A foolproof idea, so don't ask me how
To get started
Oh, I'm going down
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around
Like you'll show me where to go
I'm already out
A foolproof idea, so don't ask me how
To get started, it's all uncharted
La, la, la-ah
Oh, and it don't hurt
Like anything I've ever felt before
This is no broken heart
No familiar scars
This territory goes uncharted
Just me in a room sunk down in a house in a town
And I don't breathe
No, I never meant to let it get away from me
No, I'm too much to hold
Everybody has to get their hands on gold
And I want uncharted
Stuck under the ceiling I made
I can't help but feeling
I'm going down
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around
Like you'll show me where to go
I'm already out
A foolproof idea, so don't ask me how
To get started, it's all uncharted
La, la, la-la-ah, oh
Each day I'm countin' up the minutes
'Til I get alone, 'cause I can't stay
In the middle of it all, it's nobody's fault, but I'm
So alone, never knew how much I didn't know
Oh, everything is uncharted
I know I'm getting nowhere
When I only sit and stare like
I'm going down
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around
Like you'll show me where to go
I'm already out
A foolproof idea, so don't ask me how
To get started, it's all uncharted
Jump start my kaleidoscope heart
Love to watch the colors fade
They may not make sense
But they sure as hell made me
I won't go as a passenger, no
Waiting for the road to be laid
Though I may be going down
I'm taking flame over burning out
Compare
Where you are to where you want to be
And you'll get nowhere
I'm going down
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around
Like you'll show me where to go
I'm already out
A foolproof idea, so don't ask me how
To get started
Oh, I'm going down
Follow if you want, I won't just hang around
Like you'll show me where to go
I'm already out
A foolproof idea, so don't ask me how
To get started, it's all uncharted
La, la, la-ah
Lyrics submitted by skydetective
Uncharted Lyrics as written by Sara Beth Bareilles
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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
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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
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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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
This whole album is amazing!
This song is absolutley amazing. It totally describes me and where I am in life right now. I feel like I'm taking a path that few people have chosen willingly, and my friends want to help, am I'm just like, "Follow if you wanna, but I have no idea where its going how its going to work out." My parents keep telling me I need to spend more time with the family, and I can't tell them what I'm doing or that I need to be alone to be sucessful. Maybe one day they'll understand, but for now it's just me and an everything that is uncharted.
I think this song is conveying the message that she just wants to go her own way: a path that is her own; uncharted.
Too much to hold, everybody has to Get their hands on gold And I want uncharted
Everyone seems to go for the same thing and follow similar paths, but she wants something different.
I know I'm getting nowhere When I only sit and stare like
She's not getting anywhere while living the life she's leading.
I won't go as a passenger, no Waiting for the road to be laid Though I may be going down I'm taking flame over burning out
She's going to do her own thing, be independent, and take initiative. She's going to make her own choices and take her own path.
Compare where you are to where you want to be, and you'll get Nowhere
Their way isn't taking them anywhere.
I'm going down Follow if you want I won't just hang around Like you'll show me where to go
She doesn't know exactly where she's going, but she knows she wants to go there because she knows the alternative, which will take her nowhere.
Though I may be going down I'll take in flame over burning out kurt Cobain suicide letter reference.
I think the song is about a huge break up, so she up and leaves, reevaluates her entire life, and starts down a new path. "follow if you want" She doesn't care what her family or friends think about this. They are welcome in her life if they want to be.
I think it's about a person choosing to take control of their life vs. "Hanging around" or "being the passenger." I really like this song
Love it. he has said this is the cornerstone song around which the others on the new album were created.
I think it's about her trying to find inspiration to write her second album -- initially feeling a bit intimidated by the pressure with creating another 'hit', and then letting go of the pressure and starting to work on what felt right according to her gut.
"Jump start my kaleidoscope heart Love to watch the colors fade They may not make sense but they sure as hell made me"
"Compare where you are to where you want to be and you'll get no where"
"I'm already out of foolproof ideas So don't ask me how to get started It's all uncharted"
A magnificent piece by Sara Bareilles and my new favorite song.
Lyrics corrections brought to you directly from the lyrics provided in Sara Bareilles's "Kaleidoscope Heart"album. I didn't divide up the verses so someone can fix that.
No words My tears won't make any room for 'em. Oh and it Don't hurt like anything I've ever felt before This is no broken heart no familiar scars This territory goes uncharted Just me In a room sunk down in a house in a town and I Don't breathe though I never meant to let it get away from me Now I have too much to hold Everybody has to get their hands on gold And I want uncharted Stuck under the ceiling I made I can't help the feeling I'm going down Follow if you want I won't just hang around Like you'll show me where to go to I'm already out of foolproof ideas so don't ask me how To get started it's all uncharted Each day I'm counting up the minutes 'til I get alone 'cause I can't stay In the middle of it all it's nobody's fault but I'm So low. Never knew how much I didn't know Oh everything is uncharted I know I'm getting nowhere wen I only sit and stare like I'm going down Follow if you want I won't just hang around Like you'll show me where to go I'm already out of foolproof ideas so don't ask me how To get started it's all uncharted Jump-start my Kaleidoscope Heart I love to watch the colors fade They may not make sense but they sure as hell made me I won't go as a passenger no Waiting for the road to be laid Though I may be going down I'll take in flame over burning out Compare where you are to where you want to be and you'll get nowhere I'm going down Follow if you want I won't just make around Like you'll show me where to go I'm already out of foolproof ideas so don't ask me how To get started it's all uncharted
"Compare where you are to where you want to be and you'll get nowhere"
I love this line!
I think this song is about her getting over a break up.
"I'm counting up the minutes 'til I get alone 'cause I can't stay In the middle of it all it's nobody's fault but I'm So low."
That's my favorite part.
"Though I may be going down I'll take in flame over burning out" Oh and this part i think she is saying even though she lost she learnt something from that experience.