"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.
Everybody’s better than I am
I think everybody's better than me
everybody's swell I guess
they're doing well some more or less
everybody's better than I am I think
you know, to be king you don’t need a castle
to row, back to shore can sure be a hassle
everybody's acting like I don't matter
everybody’s into the act
too many of them to avoid
it could be that I’m paranoid
I matter as a matter of fact
you know, to be king you don’t need a castle…
why you walk around with your head low down
the true king rules without a crown
if your boat’s afloat after the typhoon
row it safely back to the lagoon
and never mind the green grass you won’t mow
or what it is you have or don’t to show
or what it is you can or can’t afford
the good are good without reward
you know, to be king you don’t need a castle…
I think everybody's better than me
everybody's swell I guess
they're doing well some more or less
everybody's better than I am I think
you know, to be king you don’t need a castle
to row, back to shore can sure be a hassle
everybody's acting like I don't matter
everybody’s into the act
too many of them to avoid
it could be that I’m paranoid
I matter as a matter of fact
you know, to be king you don’t need a castle…
why you walk around with your head low down
the true king rules without a crown
if your boat’s afloat after the typhoon
row it safely back to the lagoon
and never mind the green grass you won’t mow
or what it is you have or don’t to show
or what it is you can or can’t afford
the good are good without reward
you know, to be king you don’t need a castle…
Lyrics submitted by skycamefalling00
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