"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.
The biscuit man said he had to blow
The cat's in the alleyway, the dogs don't go
You look and then you smile, it's all a joke
You get to see the fire, I can see the smoke
But you don't know anything
How long is a piece of string
You don't want anything
All I want is the birds to sing
King Kong drinks Coca-Cola
And look at that man chase the spider
Poor man he's a billionaire
And Jesus Christ do you think I care
You never miss the water, 'til the well runs dry
Keep swimming round the bowl, 'til it makes you cry
We all believe in God, when we get the fear
And everybody loves you, when they see a tear
But you don't know anything
How long is a piece of string
You don't want anything
All I want is the birds to sing
King Kong drinks Coca-Cola
And look at that man chase the spider
Poor man he's a billionaire
And Jesus Christ do you think I care
Yeah have a nice day, drop the bomb
Just look at that girl, what's she on
Greenpeace man, now that's original
Cause we all love a bit of good and evil
The cat's in the alleyway, the dogs don't go
You look and then you smile, it's all a joke
You get to see the fire, I can see the smoke
But you don't know anything
How long is a piece of string
You don't want anything
All I want is the birds to sing
King Kong drinks Coca-Cola
And look at that man chase the spider
Poor man he's a billionaire
And Jesus Christ do you think I care
You never miss the water, 'til the well runs dry
Keep swimming round the bowl, 'til it makes you cry
We all believe in God, when we get the fear
And everybody loves you, when they see a tear
But you don't know anything
How long is a piece of string
You don't want anything
All I want is the birds to sing
King Kong drinks Coca-Cola
And look at that man chase the spider
Poor man he's a billionaire
And Jesus Christ do you think I care
Yeah have a nice day, drop the bomb
Just look at that girl, what's she on
Greenpeace man, now that's original
Cause we all love a bit of good and evil
Lyrics submitted by ^ blue devil ^
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