"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.
No junk food, just earthly goods
I ate weird berries in the woods
Now I'm seeing colors, I'm getting higher
I think I'll start a forest fire
There's a forest fire climbin' the hill
Burning wealthy California homes
Better run run run run run run from the fire
But some of us stay and watch
And we think of your insurance costs
And we laugh laugh laugh laugh laugh laugh at your lives
Windows covered with bars
Security guards
Is that a house or a fortress?
Against the rest of the world
Windows covered with bars
Security guards
Is that a house or a prison, how you gonna get out?
Electric bull and your tennis courts
Pink sports cars and your boats
Getting fried fried fried fried fried fried by the fire
Windows covered with bars
Floodlights for the yard
It's a pleasure to watch you
Watch it all melt
But hey!
What about the cocaine
Stockpiled in the basement?
Be a hero and save it
You know you're gonna need it
Where's your brand new pretty wife?
She might still be inside
Either save her or your cocaine from the fire
But the gates and doors are locked
'Cause the burglar alarms went off
Ever wonder why we laugh laugh at your lives?
Windows covered with bars
Fences spiked with barbed wire
Never looked so helpless
Engulfed in flames
Cameras watchin' the walls
Don't forget the dogs
Now you're trapped in your prison how you gonna get out?
Yee-ah!
See the gerbil run run run run run run run run run
Run run run run run run run run run
Run run run run run run run run run from the fire
I ate weird berries in the woods
Now I'm seeing colors, I'm getting higher
I think I'll start a forest fire
There's a forest fire climbin' the hill
Burning wealthy California homes
Better run run run run run run from the fire
But some of us stay and watch
And we think of your insurance costs
And we laugh laugh laugh laugh laugh laugh at your lives
Windows covered with bars
Security guards
Is that a house or a fortress?
Against the rest of the world
Windows covered with bars
Security guards
Is that a house or a prison, how you gonna get out?
Electric bull and your tennis courts
Pink sports cars and your boats
Getting fried fried fried fried fried fried by the fire
Windows covered with bars
Floodlights for the yard
It's a pleasure to watch you
Watch it all melt
But hey!
What about the cocaine
Stockpiled in the basement?
Be a hero and save it
You know you're gonna need it
Where's your brand new pretty wife?
She might still be inside
Either save her or your cocaine from the fire
But the gates and doors are locked
'Cause the burglar alarms went off
Ever wonder why we laugh laugh at your lives?
Windows covered with bars
Fences spiked with barbed wire
Never looked so helpless
Engulfed in flames
Cameras watchin' the walls
Don't forget the dogs
Now you're trapped in your prison how you gonna get out?
Yee-ah!
See the gerbil run run run run run run run run run
Run run run run run run run run run
Run run run run run run run run run from the fire
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Yeh, I just watched it. It takes the piss out of lip-synching too- as Jello kicks over the drum kit etc haha its sooo good
youtube.com/watch=