From the recording Taximan
This is an Epilogue to Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”; a musing on the American Dream with post- 9/11 New York City as the backdrop. A girl gets in a cab and “Fast Car” begins to play on the radio. When she tells the cabdriver she loves the song, this Middle Eastern man turns it up to hear what it is, and confesses he too loves the song. The girl begins to wonder about when this man first heard the song, and what he liked about it. Was it the beautiful guitar hook? The lyrics? She begins to think about how the events surrounding 9/11 have affected this man’s American Dream.
Lyrics
One day I’m running late So I cannot take the subway I hop into a cab Love what’s on the radio The driver turns it up I smile ‘cuz he confesses This Pakistani man Loves what’s on the radio too And so we sing together Speeding down Bleecker Street “You’ve got a fast cab” Is it fast enough that I won’t be late? Taximan, do you feel you belong? Taximan, does your dream live on? Taximan, you take good care, all right? Taximan, keep the change, and keep on keep on keepin’ on “Where are you from?” they ask And he always dreads the question He came to NYC To git with Lady Liberty And the flag he displays prominently Shields him from the vigilantes They don’t know that he sings with Tracy And he has a dream like you and me [Repeat Chorus] Oh and by the way You have made my day Even in a small way I’m forever changed