年輕時不太認真聽歌，只覺得這首曲子歌詞唱得好快，不知道歌手在mumble些什麼，後來知道歌手是個女子時還嚇了一跳。
雖然旋律很熟，但是第一次認真聽應當是在WXPN裡David Dye的 World Cafe專訪Tracy Chapman那次。聊到了這首曲子時，Tracy Chapman說她不止一次在演唱會後遇到女聽眾上前來，告訴她："妳寫的就是發生在我身上的故事。"
聽起來似乎她寫出了某些人共同的心事，我便好奇的聽了聽歌詞的內容，這才發現裡面的故事真的讓人很感動。
只是，即使時光倒流，回到我唸大學的時候，我也實在不敢確定自己在那個年紀懂不懂得欣賞這首曲子裡年少夢想的幻滅。有些情緒，有些感想真的是要到達某種年齡後才能欣賞體會。
想念這首曲子，意外找到一現場演唱版，貼出來大家聽聽。兩個音檔的品質都不算好，殘念！
Fast Car
by Tracy Chapman
You got a fast car
I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere
Anyplace is better
Starting from zero got nothing to lose
Maybe we'll make something
But me myself I got nothing to prove
You got a fast car
And I got a plan to get us out of here
I been working at the convenience store
Managed to save just a little bit of money
We won't have to drive too far
Just 'cross the border and into the city
You and I can both get jobs
And finally see what it means to be living
You see my old man's got a problem
He live with the bottle that's the way it is
He says his body's too old for working
I say his body's too young to look like his
My mama went off and left him
She wanted more from life than he could give
I said somebody's got to take care of him
So I quit school and that's what I did
You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so we can fly away
We gotta make a decision
We leave tonight or live and die this way
I remember we were driving driving in your car
The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder
And I had a feeling that I belonged
And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone
You got a fast car
And we go cruising to entertain ourselves
You still ain't got a job
And I work in a market as a checkout girl
I know things will get better
You'll find work and I'll get promoted
We'll move out of the shelter
Buy a big house and live in the suburbs
You got a fast car
And I got a job that pays all our bills
You stay out drinking late at the bar
See more of your friends than you do of your kids
I'd always hoped for better
Thought maybe together you and me would find it
I got no plans I ain't going nowhere
So take your fast car and keep on driving
You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so you can fly away
You gotta make a decision
You leave tonight or live and die this way
現場演奏加長版
Tracy Chapman, "Fast Car" 6"30
我很喜歡Tracy Chapman. 但是今天這首歌讓我想起另外一位歌手另外一首完全無關的歌，我甚至記不得那首歌的名字，也不確定歌手的名字是否拼對，好像是Shinne O'Connor。她有一首歌，歌詞一開始就在講一個拾荒老人，然後一連串好像發生在倫敦城裡的窮(老)人故事，然後她就唱How can you tell me you are lonely?也許是因為今天很冷又陰雨綿綿的，此刻的我有點多愁善感，但突然很想念這首歌。有誰知道這首歌呢？
回覆刪除Dear Maavey,
回覆刪除是這首吧?今天雙餘館外天氣不錯，可是我也有點blue。
Streets Of London
Have you seen the old man, in the closed-down market
kicking up the papers, with his worn-out shoes?
In his eyes you'd see no pride, hand held loosely by his side
yesterday's papers, telling yesterday's news
So how can you tell me, you're lonely
and say for you the sun won't shine?
Let me take you by the hand,
and lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something, to make you change your mind
Have you seen the old girl, who walks the streets of London
dirt in her hair, and her clothes in rags?
She's no time for talking, she just keeps right on walking
Carrying her home, in two carrier bags
So how can you tell me, you're lonely
and say for you the sun won't shine?
Let me take you by the hand,
and lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something, to make you change your mind
In the all-night cafe, at a quarter past eleven
same old man sitting there, on his own
Looking at the world, over the rim of his tea-cup
Each tea lasts an hour, then he wanders home alone
So how can you tell me, you're lonely
and say for you the sun won't shine?
Let me take you by the hand,
and lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something, to make you change your mind
Have you seen the old man outside the Seamens mission
memories fading, with the medal ribbons that he wears
In our winter city, the rain cries little pitty,
For one more forgoten hero, and a world that doesn´t care
So how can you tell me, you're lonely
and say for you that the sun doesn't shine?
Let me take you by the hand,
and lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something, to make you change your mind
Paul Simon, "Streets of London" (找不到Sinead的)
回覆刪除Dear Arkun,
是這首，謝謝。我還不知道 Paul Simon也唱呢！難不成這是Simon的歌？他總是比她老道些吧！
為何blue?
我沒有blue，但冷得腰疼。
在農村近一年了，變得sentimental，很容易被單純的勞動與快樂感動。這是為何我想到Streets of London。你可以想像嗎？像我這樣的人，最近常常流淚呢？要離開了，能做的與無能為力的，都只有留在後頭了...
回覆刪除沒事，寂寞的時候難免傷春悲秋一番。
我的經驗談：年紀愈大，淚腺愈發達。以前會強忍著淚，因為覺得哭很丟人，現在還是覺得哭很丟人，可是不會再強忍了。
山上冷嗎？恨不能給你一個溫暖的擁抱。