"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.
I promised you delight and heaven opens
Come wage my holy war
Where every thought is sin
I've been meaning to remove my baby skin tattoo
And I meant to be more kind
Well maybe next time
If you come my way
If you come my way
If you come my way
We might feel the same
Consequence of rage
If you come my way
I caught you on the knees
My words aren't wasted
You'd love to be released without tasting it
And it's only if you bought what I have sold you
And if everything is fine well maybe next time
If you come way
If you come my way
If you come my way
We might feel the same
Consequence is rage
If you come my way
(This next verse is not on the recorded version but is found in the lyric book)
And if we go quiet if we can slip through
If I could only think only go unnoticed
If we hide the anger smolder inside
My time wait so quiet
Changed my face again so you'll forget me
Purified the skin it's just a covering
I've been meaning to remove my baby skin tattoo
And I meant to be more kind
And maybe next time
I'll be a friend
And next time they'll be the enemy
And you might find
What you might find
Maybe this time
If you come my way
If you come my way
If you come my way
We might feel the same
Consequence is rage
If you come my way
Come wage my holy war
Where every thought is sin
I've been meaning to remove my baby skin tattoo
And I meant to be more kind
Well maybe next time
If you come my way
If you come my way
If you come my way
We might feel the same
Consequence of rage
If you come my way
I caught you on the knees
My words aren't wasted
You'd love to be released without tasting it
And it's only if you bought what I have sold you
And if everything is fine well maybe next time
If you come way
If you come my way
If you come my way
We might feel the same
Consequence is rage
If you come my way
(This next verse is not on the recorded version but is found in the lyric book)
And if we go quiet if we can slip through
If I could only think only go unnoticed
If we hide the anger smolder inside
My time wait so quiet
Changed my face again so you'll forget me
Purified the skin it's just a covering
I've been meaning to remove my baby skin tattoo
And I meant to be more kind
And maybe next time
I'll be a friend
And next time they'll be the enemy
And you might find
What you might find
Maybe this time
If you come my way
If you come my way
If you come my way
We might feel the same
Consequence is rage
If you come my way
Lyrics submitted by revidescent
Baby Skin Tattoo Lyrics as written by David Usher
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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In case you haven't noticed, the middle section that originally appeared in the lyrics from the booklet has been omitted. I'll scream with joy if anyone can tell me why David never sings those lyrics! Generally, a lot of the lyrics from Moist's booklets are wrong, and I never went by them. I typed the lyrics by ear.