Telos: Greek: The ultimate object or end
At the recent Grammy’s event, the spot that stole the entire show was the performance of Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs when they sang the age old classic Fast Cars. In this star-studded event with the likes of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, among other celebrities, the song ended with everyone getting to their feet for a long and thunderous standing ovation. This was something to behold!
Why am I writing about the recent Grammy’s and this song that has captivated so many for a long time and in its reprise has shot to the top of the charts again for the past several months? This is because the essence of the song’s lyrics and the way Tracy and Luke delivered it cuts into our very soul. It is a story about how we all want to be somebody by going somewhere away from “here.” It is also a lesson in personal leadership and leadership in general.
This theme is the essence of my coaching practice. Why? Mostly because many of my clients who come to me, some feeling lost, others struggling to get “there,” all have the same basic need. We all want to be somebody. So, when I saw during the airing of the Grammy’s how everyone in that audience, many whom we all know as famous and rich celebrities, cheering for that song tells us something about how we humans always want to be “somebody” even when we have it all! I found that message as deeply poignant and universal to us all.
So, if you really want to relish this song and its message, play it and watch them belt it out as they did at the Grammys. Soak in the lyrics below and see how they resonate with what we all yearn in our own life–our Telos–no matter who we are, where we come from and what our struggles are:
https://youtu.be/zEqb6xbeuCo
You got a fast car
And I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere
Any place is better Starting from zero,
got nothing to lose
Maybe we’ll make something
Me, myself, I got nothing to prove
You got a fast car I got a plan to get us out of here
I’ve been working at the convenience store
Managed to save just a little bit of money
Won’t have to drive too far Just across the border and into the city
You and I can both get jobs
Finally, see what it means to be living
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
His body’s too young to look like his
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 Is it fast enough so we can fly away?
Still gotta make a decision
Leave tonight, or live and die this way
So, I remember when we were driving, driving in your car
Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped around my shoulder
And I, I, I had a feeling that I belonged I, I,
I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone
You got a fast car
We go cruising, entertain ourselves
You still ain’t got a job
So 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 bigger house, live in the suburbs
So, I remember when we were driving, driving in your car
Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped around my shoulder
And I, I, I had a feeling that I belonged I, I,
I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone
You got a fast car
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
Take your fast car and keep on driving
So, I remember when we were driving, driving in your car
Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us
And your arm felt nice wrapped around my shoulder
And I, I, I had a feeling that I belonged I, I,
I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone
You got a fast car
Is it fast enough, so you can fly away? You still gotta make a decision
Leave tonight, or live and die this way
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Tracy Chapman
Fast Car lyrics © Purple Rabbit Music
My own lesson from this awesome creation: We all have our struggles. We all must work on getting ourselves to a place where we find joy and peace. Often, it is right where you are. It is hidden in plain sight. You just have to find it!
