"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.
Johnny was bad, even as a child everybody could tell,
Everyone said, "If you don't get straight
You'll surely go to hell."
But Johnny didn't care,
He was an outlaw by the time that he was ten years old,
He didn't want to do what he was told
Just a prankster, juvenile gangster.
His teachers didn't understand,
They kicked him out of school at a tender early age,
Just because he didn't want to learn things
He had other interests
He liked to burn things!
The lady down the block,
She had a radio that Johnny wanted oh so bad,
So he took it the first chance he had.
Then he shot her in the leg,
And this is what she said
"Only a lad. You really can't blame him."
"Only a lad. Society made him."
"Only a lad. He's our responsibility."
Oh, oh, oohh oh oh oh
"Only a lad. He really couldn't help it."
"Only a lad. He didn't want to do it."
"Only a lad. He's underprivileged and abused."
Perhaps a little bit confused?
Oh oh ohhh, oohhh oh oh ohh whoa whoa whoa
Oh oh ohhh, oohhh oh oh ohh whoa whoa whoa
His parents gave up, they couldn't influence his attitude,
Nobody could help.
The little man had no gratitude.
And when he stole the car,
Nobody dreamed that he would try to take it so far.
He didn't mean to hit the poor man,
Who had to go and die.
It made the judge cry.
"Only a lad. He really couldn't help it."
"Only a lad. He didn't want to do it."
"Only a lad. He's underprivileged and abused."
Perhaps a little bit confused?
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh
It's not his fault that he can't believe,
It's not his fault that he can't behave,
Society made him go astray.
Perhaps if we're nice he'll go away,
Perhaps he'll go away,
He'll go away
"Only a lad. You really can't blame him."
"Only a lad. Society made him."
"Only a lad. He's our responsibility."
Hey there Johnny you really don't fool me,
You get away with murder,
And you think it's funny!
You don't give a damn if we live or if we die
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh,
Hey there Johnny boy,
I hope you fry!
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh,
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh.
Everyone said, "If you don't get straight
You'll surely go to hell."
But Johnny didn't care,
He was an outlaw by the time that he was ten years old,
He didn't want to do what he was told
Just a prankster, juvenile gangster.
His teachers didn't understand,
They kicked him out of school at a tender early age,
Just because he didn't want to learn things
He had other interests
He liked to burn things!
The lady down the block,
She had a radio that Johnny wanted oh so bad,
So he took it the first chance he had.
Then he shot her in the leg,
And this is what she said
"Only a lad. You really can't blame him."
"Only a lad. Society made him."
"Only a lad. He's our responsibility."
Oh, oh, oohh oh oh oh
"Only a lad. He really couldn't help it."
"Only a lad. He didn't want to do it."
"Only a lad. He's underprivileged and abused."
Perhaps a little bit confused?
Oh oh ohhh, oohhh oh oh ohh whoa whoa whoa
Oh oh ohhh, oohhh oh oh ohh whoa whoa whoa
His parents gave up, they couldn't influence his attitude,
Nobody could help.
The little man had no gratitude.
And when he stole the car,
Nobody dreamed that he would try to take it so far.
He didn't mean to hit the poor man,
Who had to go and die.
It made the judge cry.
"Only a lad. He really couldn't help it."
"Only a lad. He didn't want to do it."
"Only a lad. He's underprivileged and abused."
Perhaps a little bit confused?
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh
It's not his fault that he can't believe,
It's not his fault that he can't behave,
Society made him go astray.
Perhaps if we're nice he'll go away,
Perhaps he'll go away,
He'll go away
"Only a lad. You really can't blame him."
"Only a lad. Society made him."
"Only a lad. He's our responsibility."
Hey there Johnny you really don't fool me,
You get away with murder,
And you think it's funny!
You don't give a damn if we live or if we die
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh,
Hey there Johnny boy,
I hope you fry!
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh,
Oh oh oh, ohh ohh ohh oh oh.
Lyrics submitted by cactusdave
Only a Lad Lyrics as written by Danny Elfman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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