"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.
A long way we have travelled
Just to see your name in lights;
We're writing you this letter
Because we're with you tonight.
Your Mama misses you so
And your Papa wants you to know
That babe,
We want you to have your say,
We don't want to stand in your way.
The last time that we saw you
And we heard those curtain calls.
We held hands and we loved you
And we shouted for more.
Your Mama misses you so
And your Papa wants you to know
That babe,
We want you to have your say,
We don't want to stand in your way.
But call us and say
When you're passing this way,
And let us still know that you care,
Clean sheets on the bed in your room
And a place at the table and in our hearts.
Places please. On stage. On stage, love, please!
Coming!
Somebody left a letter for you at the stage door.
I haven't got time now, I've got to go. I'll read it after the show, OK?
Have a nice one!
Thank you!
Every night is a first night for someone,
Someone's making their debut,
On starry eyes the curtain will rise.
Your Mama she misses you so
And your Papa wants you to know
That babe,
We want you to have your say,
We don't want to stand in your way.
But call us and say
When you're passing this way,
And let us still know that you care,
Clean sheets on the bed in your room
And a place at the table and in our hearts.
Such a long way we have travelled
Just to see your name in lights;
We're writing you this letter
'Cos we're with you tonight.
Your Mama misses you so
And your Papa wants you to know
That babe,
We want you to have your say,
We don't want to stand in your way.
Every night is a first night for someone,
Someone's making their debut,
On starry eyes the curtain will rise.
Every night is a first night for someone,
Someone's bring the house down.
We want you to know
You're stealing the show.
Just to see your name in lights;
We're writing you this letter
Because we're with you tonight.
Your Mama misses you so
And your Papa wants you to know
That babe,
We want you to have your say,
We don't want to stand in your way.
The last time that we saw you
And we heard those curtain calls.
We held hands and we loved you
And we shouted for more.
Your Mama misses you so
And your Papa wants you to know
That babe,
We want you to have your say,
We don't want to stand in your way.
But call us and say
When you're passing this way,
And let us still know that you care,
Clean sheets on the bed in your room
And a place at the table and in our hearts.
Places please. On stage. On stage, love, please!
Coming!
Somebody left a letter for you at the stage door.
I haven't got time now, I've got to go. I'll read it after the show, OK?
Have a nice one!
Thank you!
Every night is a first night for someone,
Someone's making their debut,
On starry eyes the curtain will rise.
Your Mama she misses you so
And your Papa wants you to know
That babe,
We want you to have your say,
We don't want to stand in your way.
But call us and say
When you're passing this way,
And let us still know that you care,
Clean sheets on the bed in your room
And a place at the table and in our hearts.
Such a long way we have travelled
Just to see your name in lights;
We're writing you this letter
'Cos we're with you tonight.
Your Mama misses you so
And your Papa wants you to know
That babe,
We want you to have your say,
We don't want to stand in your way.
Every night is a first night for someone,
Someone's making their debut,
On starry eyes the curtain will rise.
Every night is a first night for someone,
Someone's bring the house down.
We want you to know
You're stealing the show.
Lyrics submitted by Chris_Gough
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