"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.
Baby, there's no way of knowing
If we've got a good thing going
Better not believe in true love
That's what people say
There's nothing fatal in attraction
I'm just looking for some action
Better not go chasing rainbows
That's what people say
Every time i see your face
Emotion takes control of me
It turns me round and puts me in a spin
Oh can't you see
[Chorus]
I just want to love you
I want to be the one
Who's holding you tonight
I just want to love you
Every minute of the hour
Every morning, noon and night
There's gotta be a way to show you
I'd really like to get to know you
I could make you happy
If you'd take a chance on me
Don't want to talk about forever
Can't you see it's now or never
Don't think about tomorrow
Take a change on me
You know it makes me so excited
Every time i think of you
It turns me round and puts me in a spin
Oh can't you see
[Chorus]
I just want to love you
I, i just want to love you
(holding you tonight)
I just want to love you
I, i just want to love you
(every morning, noon and night)
Take a chance, take a chance, chance
Take a chance, take a chance
Take a chance on me
Take a chance, take a chance, chance
Take a chance, take a chance
Take a chance on me
[Chorus]
I just want to love you
I just want to love you
(holding you tonight)
I just want to love you
I just want to love you
(every morning, noon and night)
[Chorus]
If we've got a good thing going
Better not believe in true love
That's what people say
There's nothing fatal in attraction
I'm just looking for some action
Better not go chasing rainbows
That's what people say
Every time i see your face
Emotion takes control of me
It turns me round and puts me in a spin
Oh can't you see
[Chorus]
I just want to love you
I want to be the one
Who's holding you tonight
I just want to love you
Every minute of the hour
Every morning, noon and night
There's gotta be a way to show you
I'd really like to get to know you
I could make you happy
If you'd take a chance on me
Don't want to talk about forever
Can't you see it's now or never
Don't think about tomorrow
Take a change on me
You know it makes me so excited
Every time i think of you
It turns me round and puts me in a spin
Oh can't you see
[Chorus]
I just want to love you
I, i just want to love you
(holding you tonight)
I just want to love you
I, i just want to love you
(every morning, noon and night)
Take a chance, take a chance, chance
Take a chance, take a chance
Take a chance on me
Take a chance, take a chance, chance
Take a chance, take a chance
Take a chance on me
[Chorus]
I just want to love you
I just want to love you
(holding you tonight)
I just want to love you
I just want to love you
(every morning, noon and night)
[Chorus]
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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