"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.
Pilgrim across the water
We are the same, brother
Hitchhiking back to Zion
Holding our tears as we flip the album
What if this leads to ruin?
You got a soul, use it
All this despair forgiven
Rolling away on a wheel of sevens
Seems like the Queen of Sheba
Voice through a blown speaker
One drop and bubbling Leslie
Calling me home like Haile Selassie
Pilgrim beside the fire
Its been a long winter
We got a lot in common
Cover our heads as they split the atom
All of our days are numbered
I take in some comfort in knowing the wave has crested
Knowing I don't have to be an exception
Children they fill the bleachers
One is the next Caesar
Keep all their minds collected
Until it comes
Until it comes
Hide the Omega day
In plain sight
Too good to be true
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things, man
I've seen, I've seen that tree of smoke
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things happen
Happen before
Pilgrim upon the mountain
Bare foot and still climbing
Filling the book of hours
Day after day in the filth and squalor
We are the chosen people
Safe from the next evil
One Love! Magnetic memory
Reel after reel, spinning within me
I had the wildest dream last night
I was swimming with you in that Cenote the Heavens made with black fire
Just woke up too soon
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things, man
I've seen, I've seen that tree of smoke
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things happen
Happen before
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things, man
I've seen, I've seen that tree of smoke
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things happen
Happen before
We are the same, brother
Hitchhiking back to Zion
Holding our tears as we flip the album
What if this leads to ruin?
You got a soul, use it
All this despair forgiven
Rolling away on a wheel of sevens
Seems like the Queen of Sheba
Voice through a blown speaker
One drop and bubbling Leslie
Calling me home like Haile Selassie
Pilgrim beside the fire
Its been a long winter
We got a lot in common
Cover our heads as they split the atom
All of our days are numbered
I take in some comfort in knowing the wave has crested
Knowing I don't have to be an exception
Children they fill the bleachers
One is the next Caesar
Keep all their minds collected
Until it comes
Until it comes
Hide the Omega day
In plain sight
Too good to be true
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things, man
I've seen, I've seen that tree of smoke
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things happen
Happen before
Pilgrim upon the mountain
Bare foot and still climbing
Filling the book of hours
Day after day in the filth and squalor
We are the chosen people
Safe from the next evil
One Love! Magnetic memory
Reel after reel, spinning within me
I had the wildest dream last night
I was swimming with you in that Cenote the Heavens made with black fire
Just woke up too soon
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things, man
I've seen, I've seen that tree of smoke
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things happen
Happen before
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things, man
I've seen, I've seen that tree of smoke
I've seen, I've seen, I've seen stranger things happen
Happen before
Lyrics submitted by gazsafa, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Haile Selassie Lyrics as written by Conor M Oberst
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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,
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Page
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There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I think "How do you make a day in plain sight" is supposed to be
"Hide the Omega day in plain sight, too good to be true."
Yeah, I totally hear that too. It also makes more sense...
Thank you for that, it sounds right "How do you make a day in plain sight" didn't sound right for me either. It was just the closest thing I could put down to how it sounded like. I don't like leaving (...?) it makes the whole thing look messy.<br /> It took me a while to figure some of the words out, but I tried to make this as accurate as possible.
Heroes like you make sites like this work. Thanks.
There's something so blissfully carefree about the words of this song.
Pilgrim across the water We are the same brother Hitchhiking back to Zion Hold in our tears as we flip the album What if this leads to ruin? You got a soul, use it All this despair forgiven Rolling away on a Wheel of Sevens She sings like the Queen of Sheba Voice through a blown speaker One drop and bubbling Leslie Calling me home like Haile Selassie
Pilgrim beside the fire It’s been a long winter We got a lot in common Cover our heads as they split the atom All of our days are numbered I’ve taken some comfort In knowing the wave has crested Knowing I don’t have to be an exception Children they fill the bleachers One is the next Caesar Keep all their minds collected Until he comes, until he comes
Hide the Omega Day in plain sight Too good to be true
I’ve seen stranger things I’ve seen that tree of smoke I’ve seen stranger things happen before
Pilgrim up on the mountain Barefoot and still climbing Filling the Book of Hours Day after day in the filth and squalor We are the chosen people Safe from the next evil One Love, magnetic memory Reel after reel spinning within me
I had the wildest dream last night I was swimming with you In that cenote the heavens made with black fire Just woke up too soon
I’ve seen stranger things I’ve seen those daytime ghosts I’ve seen stranger things happen before
I’ve seen stranger things I’ve seen that tree of smoke I’ve seen stranger things happen before
"In Rastafarianism, they're talking about fighting back against an imperial power with the best tools at their disposal, which are music and soul and weed and community," [Conor] says. "The symbolism in that music seemed very potent to me, and very appropriate."
Conor expressed in interviews that he wanted to include the Rasta message of being one. Not in the music, but in the lyrics.
"Hitchhiking back to Zion" Zion is what some Christians refer to as Israel, or the society that will be formed in the last days. It is said that these people will be of "one heart and one mind" which seems to go along with the Rasta idea.
The Wheel of Sevens is a wheel that has the seven verses of the Lord's prayer, from what I understand.
Haile Selassie is seen by the Rastafarian people "as a messianic figure who will lead a future golden age of eternal peace, righteousness, and prosperity." so he's like their Messiah. Again, this idea of Rastafarianism, and a people of peace, like Zion.
"Pilgrim beside the fire It’s been a long winter We got a lot in common Cover our heads as they split the atom All of our days are numbered I’ve taken some comfort In knowing the wave has crested Knowing I don’t have to be an exception"
as in he is relieved that this Omega Day hasn't come, so he can live life as usual? Not sure. I'm guessing the Omega Day is the day that this oneness is achieved. Sort of like Judgement Day?
No idea what he means by tree of smoke - anyone?
Book of Hours is a Christian book from the Middle Ages...
"We are the chosen people Safe from the next evil"
as in they're working towards some Eternal Salvation?
"One Love, magnetic memory (the idea of one, rasta theme) Reel after reel spinning within me"(over and over again, history, time moving forward?)
A cenote is a pool of land water surrounded by rock, basically.
The swimming in this cenote that "the heavens made with black fire" is compared to a dream, so maybe he's saying he isn't sure the heavens are really there, like Heaven is only somewhere you can believe in in dreams. I'm not sure.
Still, daytime ghosts, tree of smoke?
Help me, people, please:]
YOU ARE AMAZING.<br /> <br /> The only thing I have to add is that the splitting atom and "Omega Day" (like Judgement Day) refers to the atom bomb/nuclear war/the end of the world.<br /> <br /> Oh! Maybe the tree of smoke is Moses' burning bush, and everything that represents? Miracles, the word of God, and whatnot?<br /> <br /> I'm so excited for tomorrow I could pee.
The reference to splitting the atom makes me think that the "tree of smoke" refers to a mushroom cloud.
Thank you guys. I can definitely see the mushroom cloud "tree of smoke" reference. Makes so much sense. Again, thanks for the reply.
I like your interpretation. <br /> <br /> I'd like to add that the concept of zion is part of rastafari as well and refers to an utopia in Africa/Ethiopia.
hey. you guys are compiling information so i thought i'd add what i knew.<br /> <br /> <br /> "A cenote is a pool of land water surrounded by rock, basically.<br /> <br /> The swimming in this cenote that "the heavens made with black fire" is compared to a dream, so maybe he's saying he isn't sure the heavens are really there, like Heaven is only somewhere you can believe in in dreams. I'm not sure."<br /> <br /> <br /> In addition to a cenote being a deep whole surrounded by rocks, they were used in ancient times as sort of holes to hell/heaven. Sacrifices of plants/animals and even humans were often thrown into the cenotes as religious rituals. While this might be completely unrelated to Rastafarian culture which is a strong theme on this album, cenotes of south and central america were commonly used for this purpose. and knowing conor, he probably knew about the human sacrifices related to them.<br /> <br /> i'll leave the rest of the extrapolation to you.<br />
"I'm taking some comfort in knowing the wave has crested Knowing I don’t have to be an exception"
Slight lyric correction.
Also, i think this is a really important line in the song. He might be saying that he feels better that his generation wasn't the one responsible for the haphazard 20th century. Or he might be saying he feels better knowing that more and more people are starting to adopt a more modern view point and starting to see that things need to change. Or i might be way off. Either way i get a lot from this lyric.
"bubbling leslie" as in a leslie speaker
exactly what i was thinking. genius.
"Magnetic memory Reel after reel, spinning within me "
tape/reel to reel tape deck reference?
I've always heard it as 'memetic/mimetic memory'. But the tape reference makes sense!
I hear a heavy cure influence in this whole album!
Megbird1691 - Very interesting interpretation and info.
Tree of smoke might be the burning bush...it's the only ting I can think of.
Daytime ghosts - angles....lost souls?
It feels as if he is singing this song for the Pilgrim (religious man while he, Connor is a non-believer ) stating how alike they really are and how they face the same dooming world.
"All this despair forgiven Rolling away on a Wheel of Sevens She sings like the Queen of Sheba Voice through a blown speaker One drop and bubbling Leslie Calling me home like Haile Selassie"
These lines seem to emphasize the allure of religious beliefs...when time are hard ones seem to just roll along and believe...because it's the easiest thing to do. Haile Sealassie is again a synonym for such beliefs....and it's calling him home....when he says "sings like the Queen of Sheba" he means singing temptingly...the Queen of Sheeba (mentioned in the Muslin Quran and the Bible too....not sure) was a beautiful seductress.
"Cover our heads as they split the atom All of our days are numbered I’ve taken some comfort In knowing the wave has crested Knowing I don’t have to be an exception Children they fill the bleachers One is the next Caesar Keep all their minds collected Until he comes, until he comes"
This veers away from religion into science and polities.....things that are wrong with the world today....there are atom bombs and nuclear weapons being made....but what can he and this pilgrim do about it...they just keep their head down and move on....he also finds a sense of comfort in this end....like he wants the hanging thread of apocalypse to be done and over with.
People keep on and on multiplying endlessly...one is the next Ceasar (tyrant) all their minds are kept uniform and collect. (things he has stated in earlier songs and bands about the death of individuality).
Hide the Omega Day in plain sight Too good to be true
While we are all kept "uniform" and busy we miss to see the Omega Day right in front of us.
I’ve seen stranger things I’ve seen that tree of smoke I’ve seen stranger things happen before
Not sure about the chorus...
"Pilgrim up on the mountain Barefoot and still climbing Filling the Book of Hours Day after day in the filth and squalor"
Struggling on through it all...
"We are the chosen people Safe from the next evil One Love, magnetic memory Reel after reel spinning within me "
Not sure about this either...
'Tree of smoke' is indeed a biblical reference, although not the burning bush... though I don't myself know the specific lines I found this info:<br /> 'In the Bible, the Tree of Smoke is a portent, signaling the day when "the sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes."' <br /> In the context of the song, especially with reference to 'cover our heads as they split the atom' I would hazard that it's a reference to the 'tree of smoke' produced by an atomic bomb and a symbol of the dangers of modernity and technological advances... and all the strange things those bring.<br /> <br /> I also thought it might be 'mimetic memory', not 'magnetic', which would make sense with the sci-fi tone of the album
I really didn't think about the allure of religious beliefs, that's awesome thanks for sharing all this.
I don't know if this might mean any thing in the context of this lyric, but the Queen of Sheba is (within the rastafarian movement) believed to be Heile Selassies ancenstor. The connection between her and King Solomom, gives Selassie the divine lineage "needed" to be Messiah.
Not sure how accurate this is...but I read this somewhere (about the tree of smoke) : "has Biblical origins in three cited passages: Song of Solomon 3:6; Book of Joel 2:30, 31; and Exodus 33:9, 10."