"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.
All my mornings start with the alarm clock
Every dream gets stopped before the end
And with each bit I remember
The more the details run together
And I'm left with a message I don't comprehend
I've lost contact with the great beyond again
And as I stare over my breakfast and out into the street
I find that sorrow I've been chasing way too often,
That the man that stands in front of you is not the sum of all his dreams,
But I'm hoping they've got something in common
I'm hoping they've got something in common
The way that love attacks and then surrenders
The things I mean the most when I say her name
And if he ever speaks of me casually
I hope he does so carefully
'Cause when you've loved somebody, everything's to blame
And I don't want her to ever feel ashamed
But all my best kept secrets are the ones I didn't know I had
So I couldn't even tell her if I wanted
That the way that she remembers me is not the way I really am
But I'm hoping they've got something in common
I'm hoping they've got something in common
So I feel like a man behind a camera
Who waits patiently for something he won't see
I need to stop giving suggestions
And just illuminate the questions
That seems much more accurate to me
To keep the frame as wide as it can be
'Cause all the love and friends and happiness that ever came my way
Revealed themselves the moment I stopped watching
'Cause it's not faith that comes from miracles
But miracles that come from faith
And I'm sure that they've got something in common
I know that they've got something in common
I know that they've got something in common
Every dream gets stopped before the end
And with each bit I remember
The more the details run together
And I'm left with a message I don't comprehend
I've lost contact with the great beyond again
And as I stare over my breakfast and out into the street
I find that sorrow I've been chasing way too often,
That the man that stands in front of you is not the sum of all his dreams,
But I'm hoping they've got something in common
I'm hoping they've got something in common
The way that love attacks and then surrenders
The things I mean the most when I say her name
And if he ever speaks of me casually
I hope he does so carefully
'Cause when you've loved somebody, everything's to blame
And I don't want her to ever feel ashamed
But all my best kept secrets are the ones I didn't know I had
So I couldn't even tell her if I wanted
That the way that she remembers me is not the way I really am
But I'm hoping they've got something in common
I'm hoping they've got something in common
So I feel like a man behind a camera
Who waits patiently for something he won't see
I need to stop giving suggestions
And just illuminate the questions
That seems much more accurate to me
To keep the frame as wide as it can be
'Cause all the love and friends and happiness that ever came my way
Revealed themselves the moment I stopped watching
'Cause it's not faith that comes from miracles
But miracles that come from faith
And I'm sure that they've got something in common
I know that they've got something in common
I know that they've got something in common
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
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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/
Punchline
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