"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.
You've got it all figured out, yeah you've got a plan
to get us out of here and wash my hands clean of the tax man
You've got it all set up like you're in charge of fate
You're gonna make me famous like that's what i wanted in the first place
Now you're talking at me like I've never done this
like I'm some kind of 19 year old poet with tits
well Mister let me tell you I have no illusions about the music business
and ya know if I didn't like, I'd just quit
But don't tell me that no one's listening
don't tell me fans don't care
don't you assume they are gonna buy just anything
cause when we're out in the clubs listening to music
you're in a box answering Emails
5 million dollars yeah throw it against the wall
and if it doesn't stick watch everybody point their fingers at the artist
10 million copies sold, hey kid, you're a hit!
but at 10% ya know that's 90 for them
plus the hotel rooms they destroyed
when you were singing your heart out during south by southwest
south by southwest
don't tell me that no one's listening
don't tell me fans don't care
don't you assume they are gonna buy just anything
cause when we're out in the clubs listening to music
you're in a box answering Emails
they're in the clubs listening to music
you're in a box pulling out your hair
Yah, it's a little better, now that I'm on an independent,
but you can still hear them saying; you know a radio hit
would really validate this artist and
do you ever think she's really gonna make it really really
really really big?
The live work, yeah it's great
and smiles and crowds are forever
so I kinda just keep saying to myself, ya know
the journey is the destination
the journey is the destination
i said the journey is the destination
the journey is the destination
don't tell me no one's listening
don't tell me fans don't care
don't you assume they are gonna buy just anything
cause when we're out in the clubs listening to music
you're in a box answering Emails
they're in the clubs listening to music
you're in a box pulling out your hair
we are in the clubs listening to music
and we all know you wish you could be there
I got your telegram
to get us out of here and wash my hands clean of the tax man
You've got it all set up like you're in charge of fate
You're gonna make me famous like that's what i wanted in the first place
Now you're talking at me like I've never done this
like I'm some kind of 19 year old poet with tits
well Mister let me tell you I have no illusions about the music business
and ya know if I didn't like, I'd just quit
But don't tell me that no one's listening
don't tell me fans don't care
don't you assume they are gonna buy just anything
cause when we're out in the clubs listening to music
you're in a box answering Emails
5 million dollars yeah throw it against the wall
and if it doesn't stick watch everybody point their fingers at the artist
10 million copies sold, hey kid, you're a hit!
but at 10% ya know that's 90 for them
plus the hotel rooms they destroyed
when you were singing your heart out during south by southwest
south by southwest
don't tell me that no one's listening
don't tell me fans don't care
don't you assume they are gonna buy just anything
cause when we're out in the clubs listening to music
you're in a box answering Emails
they're in the clubs listening to music
you're in a box pulling out your hair
Yah, it's a little better, now that I'm on an independent,
but you can still hear them saying; you know a radio hit
would really validate this artist and
do you ever think she's really gonna make it really really
really really big?
The live work, yeah it's great
and smiles and crowds are forever
so I kinda just keep saying to myself, ya know
the journey is the destination
the journey is the destination
i said the journey is the destination
the journey is the destination
don't tell me no one's listening
don't tell me fans don't care
don't you assume they are gonna buy just anything
cause when we're out in the clubs listening to music
you're in a box answering Emails
they're in the clubs listening to music
you're in a box pulling out your hair
we are in the clubs listening to music
and we all know you wish you could be there
I got your telegram
Lyrics submitted by ruben
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