"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.
There's no beginning to the story
A bookshelf sinks into the sand
And a language learned and forgot in turn
Is studied once again
It's a shocking bit of footage
Viewed from a shitty TV screen
You can squint at it
Just snowy static
To make out the meaning
And keep on stretching the antenna
Hoping that it will come clear
We need some reception
A higher message
Just tell us what to fear
'Cause I don't know what tomorrow brings
It's alive with such possibilities
All I know is I feel better when I sing
Burdens are lifted from me
That's my voice rising
So Michael, please keep the tape rolling
Boys keep strumming those guitars
We need a record of our failures
Yes, we must document our love
I have sat too long in my silence
I have grown too old in my pain
To shed this skin, be born again
Oh, it starts with an ending
So thank you friends for the time we shared
My love stays with you like sunlight and air
And though I truly wish I could keep hanging around here
My joy is covering me, soon I will disappear
It's not a movie
No private screening
This method acting
Well, I call it living, yeah
It's like a fountain
A door has opened
We have a problem
With no solution but to love
And to be loved
So I've made peace with the fallen leaves
I see their same fate in my own body
But I won't be frightened when I'm awoken from this dream
And return to that which gave birth to me
Gave birth to me, gave birth to me, gave birth to me
And the story goes, and the story goes
And it goes on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on and
On and on and on and on and on
A bookshelf sinks into the sand
And a language learned and forgot in turn
Is studied once again
It's a shocking bit of footage
Viewed from a shitty TV screen
You can squint at it
Just snowy static
To make out the meaning
And keep on stretching the antenna
Hoping that it will come clear
We need some reception
A higher message
Just tell us what to fear
'Cause I don't know what tomorrow brings
It's alive with such possibilities
All I know is I feel better when I sing
Burdens are lifted from me
That's my voice rising
So Michael, please keep the tape rolling
Boys keep strumming those guitars
We need a record of our failures
Yes, we must document our love
I have sat too long in my silence
I have grown too old in my pain
To shed this skin, be born again
Oh, it starts with an ending
So thank you friends for the time we shared
My love stays with you like sunlight and air
And though I truly wish I could keep hanging around here
My joy is covering me, soon I will disappear
It's not a movie
No private screening
This method acting
Well, I call it living, yeah
It's like a fountain
A door has opened
We have a problem
With no solution but to love
And to be loved
So I've made peace with the fallen leaves
I see their same fate in my own body
But I won't be frightened when I'm awoken from this dream
And return to that which gave birth to me
Gave birth to me, gave birth to me, gave birth to me
And the story goes, and the story goes
And it goes on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on
It's going on and on and on and on and
On and on and on and on and on
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Wow, how could only one person talk about this song? It is a wonderful song, i really like the second verse were he goes "We need a record of our failures Yes we must document our love" it's such a great song!