"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.
JIMMY:
Oh, the places I would like to show you.
Although I hardly know you,
I've got the funny feeling
We'd make the perfect pair.
Famous sights I wanna see you seeing.
The nights of you-and-meing.
Me.
You.
We.
Wait a minute!
Just a minute!
No.
No.
No.
No!
I'm a Joe with just one aim:
Ev'ry night to date a different dame.
Call each one of the same pet name,
"Hey, baby!"
In a row I've got my ducks--
Loads of gals to give me loads of yucks.
Leave the cooing to the other clucks,
I don't mean maybe!
Got it good...
What do I need with love?
Always practice what I preach--
Keep temptation out of easy reach.
Stick to dolls who wash their hair in bleach.
I'm happy!
Come and go the way I choose,
Never gonna sing the tied-down blues.
Other guys would kill to fill my shoes.
No wing-clipped sappy.
Got it good...
What do I need with love?
That was a near miss.
Talk about a close shave!
Flirted with disaster.
There must be someone up there watching over me.
Talk about a four leaf clover me!
Peter Rabbit's missing footsie
Means I roll without a Tootsie!
Got it good...
What do I need with love?
I got it good...
What do I need with love?
Skip the vows and all that rot
Tell the minister that I do not!
Bright and breezy is the
Birds-and-beezy is the
Free and easy is the
Life I've got
Without her...
Although I hardly know you
What do I need with love?
I got it good...
Got it good...
But now I got it
Bad!
Oh, the places I would like to show you.
Although I hardly know you,
I've got the funny feeling
We'd make the perfect pair.
Famous sights I wanna see you seeing.
The nights of you-and-meing.
Me.
You.
We.
Wait a minute!
Just a minute!
No.
No.
No.
No!
I'm a Joe with just one aim:
Ev'ry night to date a different dame.
Call each one of the same pet name,
"Hey, baby!"
In a row I've got my ducks--
Loads of gals to give me loads of yucks.
Leave the cooing to the other clucks,
I don't mean maybe!
Got it good...
What do I need with love?
Always practice what I preach--
Keep temptation out of easy reach.
Stick to dolls who wash their hair in bleach.
I'm happy!
Come and go the way I choose,
Never gonna sing the tied-down blues.
Other guys would kill to fill my shoes.
No wing-clipped sappy.
Got it good...
What do I need with love?
That was a near miss.
Talk about a close shave!
Flirted with disaster.
There must be someone up there watching over me.
Talk about a four leaf clover me!
Peter Rabbit's missing footsie
Means I roll without a Tootsie!
Got it good...
What do I need with love?
I got it good...
What do I need with love?
Skip the vows and all that rot
Tell the minister that I do not!
Bright and breezy is the
Birds-and-beezy is the
Free and easy is the
Life I've got
Without her...
Although I hardly know you
What do I need with love?
I got it good...
Got it good...
But now I got it
Bad!
Lyrics submitted by BroadwayBratt
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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I saw Gavin Creel perform this song last week when I was in New York..and I have to say that he was FANTASTIC! Just listening to him sing this song MAKES you fall in love with him. I love the way Gavin goes from belting it out to tuning it down..his range is incredible, and his voice is just so beautiful. You have to listen to the song, the cd recording is exactly how he performs it live and he's so FANTASTIC I would go see Thoroughly Modern Millie again any day.