"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.
[Maynard:]
Living on the street shores
He didn't learn and wanted children
Said, "What is there left to stay alive for?"
He doesn't wanna see it...
[Maynard:]
He didn't wanna deal with it
Here they come, feelings that come as natural
Whatever left, he considered a loss, y'all
He doesn't wanna see it...
[Maynard:]
Running away, getting some kinda cure
"What is there left to keep him alive?" she said
Give him your love, give him your love to save him
Give him your love, give him your love to save him
[Maynard:]
Give him your love, give him your love to save him
Don't run away, give him your love to save him
Give him your love, give him your love to save him
Give him your love...
[Zach 2x:]
You can kill the revolutionary
But you can't kill the revolution
[Zach & Maynard 2x:]
You can kill the revolutionary
But you can't kill the revolution
[Zach:]
Lies, negative indoctrination of our good selves
Promote feelings of such hopelessness, powerlessness
Suicide or a slower death from addiction
seemed to be the only way to stop the pain
[Maynard:]
Running...
[Zach:]
Lies, negative indoctrination of our good selves
Promote feelings of such hopelessness, powerlessness
Suicide or a slower death from addiction
seemed to be the only way to stop the pain
[Zach:]
Suicide seemed to be the only way to stop the pain
Suicide seemed to be the only way to stop the pain
[Zach 2x:]
You can kill the revolutionary
But you can't kill the revolution
[Zach & Maynard 4x:]
You can kill the revolutionary
But you can't kill the revolution
Living on the street shores
He didn't learn and wanted children
Said, "What is there left to stay alive for?"
He doesn't wanna see it...
[Maynard:]
He didn't wanna deal with it
Here they come, feelings that come as natural
Whatever left, he considered a loss, y'all
He doesn't wanna see it...
[Maynard:]
Running away, getting some kinda cure
"What is there left to keep him alive?" she said
Give him your love, give him your love to save him
Give him your love, give him your love to save him
[Maynard:]
Give him your love, give him your love to save him
Don't run away, give him your love to save him
Give him your love, give him your love to save him
Give him your love...
[Zach 2x:]
You can kill the revolutionary
But you can't kill the revolution
[Zach & Maynard 2x:]
You can kill the revolutionary
But you can't kill the revolution
[Zach:]
Lies, negative indoctrination of our good selves
Promote feelings of such hopelessness, powerlessness
Suicide or a slower death from addiction
seemed to be the only way to stop the pain
[Maynard:]
Running...
[Zach:]
Lies, negative indoctrination of our good selves
Promote feelings of such hopelessness, powerlessness
Suicide or a slower death from addiction
seemed to be the only way to stop the pain
[Zach:]
Suicide seemed to be the only way to stop the pain
Suicide seemed to be the only way to stop the pain
[Zach 2x:]
You can kill the revolutionary
But you can't kill the revolution
[Zach & Maynard 4x:]
You can kill the revolutionary
But you can't kill the revolution
Lyrics submitted by TakeOnSnake
You Can't Kill a Revolution (with Rage Against The Machine) song meanings
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Fast Car
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it is real go to toolband.com and read what they say on it