"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.
Just when I say
"Boy we can't miss
You are golden"
Then you do this
You say this guy is so cool
Snapping his fingers like a fool
One more expensive kiss-off
Who do you think I am
Lord I know you're a special friend
But you don't seem to understand
We got heavy rollers
I think you should know
Try again tomorrow
Can't you see they're laughing at me
Get rid off him
I don't care what you do at home
Would you care to explain
Who is the gaucho amigo
Why is he standing
In your spangled leather poncho
And your elevator shoes
Bodacious cowboys
Such as your friend
Will never be welcome here
High in the Custerdome
What I tell you
Back down the line
I'll scratch your back
You can scratch mine
No he can't sleep on the floor
What do you think I'm yelling for
I'll drop him near the freeway
Doesn't he have a home
Lord I know you're a special friend
But you refuse to understand
You're a nasty schoolboy
With no place to go
Try again tomorrow
Don't tell me he'll wait in the car
Look at you
Holding hands with the man from Rio
Would you care to explain
Who is the gaucho amigo
Why is he standing
In your spangled leather poncho
With the studs that match your eyes
Bodacious cowboys
Such as your friend
Will never be welcome here
High in the Custerdome
"Boy we can't miss
You are golden"
Then you do this
You say this guy is so cool
Snapping his fingers like a fool
One more expensive kiss-off
Who do you think I am
Lord I know you're a special friend
But you don't seem to understand
We got heavy rollers
I think you should know
Try again tomorrow
Can't you see they're laughing at me
Get rid off him
I don't care what you do at home
Would you care to explain
Who is the gaucho amigo
Why is he standing
In your spangled leather poncho
And your elevator shoes
Bodacious cowboys
Such as your friend
Will never be welcome here
High in the Custerdome
What I tell you
Back down the line
I'll scratch your back
You can scratch mine
No he can't sleep on the floor
What do you think I'm yelling for
I'll drop him near the freeway
Doesn't he have a home
Lord I know you're a special friend
But you refuse to understand
You're a nasty schoolboy
With no place to go
Try again tomorrow
Don't tell me he'll wait in the car
Look at you
Holding hands with the man from Rio
Would you care to explain
Who is the gaucho amigo
Why is he standing
In your spangled leather poncho
With the studs that match your eyes
Bodacious cowboys
Such as your friend
Will never be welcome here
High in the Custerdome
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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ya'll just don't understand Steely Dan. This is a love/worried love song from Donald to Walter about Walter's heroin addiction. The gaucho is the drug inside Walter's body. Listen again with that in mind.
Wow, I think you're right! It makes complete sense, especially considering the time when it was written. Compare Gaucho's lyrics with the more recent song 'Jack Of Speed' from SD's Two Against Nature', a bit more obvious but the same thinking. <br /> <br /> btw:<br /> "We got heavy rollers, I think you should know. Try again tomorrow" could be taken as a warning that he's replacable if he screwed up. <br /> <br /> Custardome is explained by SD in an interview: "It exists only in our collective imagination. In the Steely Dan lexicon it serves as an archetype of a building that houses great corporations..."<br />
Absolutely ... I came here because I've been on a kick to listen to Steely Dan lately, and I've always liked Gaucho cause of the music, but also the lyrics and Donald Fagan's voice modulation is so cool. I couldn't remember what the song was about, so I cruised this blog.<br /> <br /> I remember back when the album came out it was rumored Fagan was pretty pissed at Walter's addiction problems, so you are correct on the assessment. While others may be correct about the illusion or comparison to Hollywood or sports stars - like so many of Steely Dan's lyrics it is all about imagery. <br /> <br /> Alice in Chains and Lane Stanleys' use of this kind of imagery is the most brilliant. Almost every love song they wrote is about Lane's battle with addiction, and the girls in his songs are heroin. It is brilliant when lyrists are able to make these kind of illustrations.<br /> <br /> JB
Absolutely ... I came here because I've been on a kick to listen to Steely Dan lately, and I've always liked Gaucho cause of the music, but also the lyrics and Donald Fagan's voice modulation is so cool. I couldn't remember what the song was about, so I cruised this blog.<br /> <br /> I remember back when the album came out it was rumored Fagan was pretty pissed at Walter's addiction problems, so you are correct on the assessment. While others may be correct about the illusion or comparison to Hollywood or sports stars - like so many of Steely Dan's lyrics it is all about imagery. <br /> <br /> Alice in Chains and Lane Stanleys' use of this kind of imagery is the most brilliant. Almost every love song they wrote is about Lane's battle with addiction, and the girls in his songs are heroin. It is brilliant when lyrists are able to make these kind of illustrations.<br /> <br /> JB<br /> <br />