"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.
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been a
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been
I hustle from, night to morning, dawn to dusk
Kidnap and robberies like, (c'mon nigga) "You goin with us"
I held round table meetings so we could go on and discuss
Not only money but all the emotions goin through us
Why we don't cry when niggaz die, that's how the street raised him
Look in the air, say a prayer (hail Mary) hopin God forgave him
Cop liquor, twist it, tap it twice, pour it to the pavement
We live dangerous, often findin' ourself in the eyes of strangers
(Who the fuck is you?) My dream is big and in it my team is rich
As seen through the eyes of a nigga who ain't seen shit
Back to live action, I'm packin', I'm still in the mix
Like new hits, I think I'm goin' over your head a lil' bit
But I let you know I changed names when I roam through town
Stay free and be who I'm professional known as now
Jay-motherfuckin'-Z, and with that said
Back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is dead, and uh
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been a
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been
My infatuation with autos led to autos gettin' sprayed
Houses gettin' broken in, quarters gettin' trayed
Bricks gettin' chopped, mom's pots gettin' used
One thrown in that water, try the soda if there's two (bring it back)
Expensive shoes worn, Louis Vuitton seats, roof gone
Coke cheap, my face is like a coupon
I gotta do Shawn, cause even when Jay-Z was lukewarm
I was gettin' my loot on, nigga I'm too strong
Eat til the food's gone, they placed me on this earth
The twin brother of Rich Porter, separated at birth
I got the soul of a hustler, quiet noise like a muffler
Fuck with us, walk through the ghetto, see the place that corrupted us
Learn why we buck at the guys that come up with us
Ain't enough bucks for us to split in this shit
Plus ain't nobody lovin' us, and with that said
Back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is dead, and uh
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been a
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been
See my life is like a see-saw
And until I move this weight it's gon' keep me to the floor
Travel with me through my deep thoughts
Y'all can't learn Jigga by the shit y'all be readin' in The Source
It's deeper of course
Follow the life of this reckless minor
At sixteen in the six hundred, unlicensed driver
Playin', cops and robbers, like shots can't stop us
Flippin' a bird to the choppers (fuck you coppers)
Buck-thirty on the turns
Reckless abandon, when I'm standin' on this pedal
Hand on my metal, minus all this time they tryin' to give me
Lord help me, all I ever wanted to be was wealthy or
Somebody to tell me that they felt me
I tried to play the hand you dealt me
But you gave me five funnies an' shit
I was hungry I need menage money
Nothin' less than a 520, and with that said
Back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is
(Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah)
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been a
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been
I hustle from, night to morning, dawn to dusk
Kidnap and robberies like, (c'mon nigga) "You goin with us"
I held round table meetings so we could go on and discuss
Not only money but all the emotions goin through us
Why we don't cry when niggaz die, that's how the street raised him
Look in the air, say a prayer (hail Mary) hopin God forgave him
Cop liquor, twist it, tap it twice, pour it to the pavement
We live dangerous, often findin' ourself in the eyes of strangers
(Who the fuck is you?) My dream is big and in it my team is rich
As seen through the eyes of a nigga who ain't seen shit
Back to live action, I'm packin', I'm still in the mix
Like new hits, I think I'm goin' over your head a lil' bit
But I let you know I changed names when I roam through town
Stay free and be who I'm professional known as now
Jay-motherfuckin'-Z, and with that said
Back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is dead, and uh
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been a
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been
My infatuation with autos led to autos gettin' sprayed
Houses gettin' broken in, quarters gettin' trayed
Bricks gettin' chopped, mom's pots gettin' used
One thrown in that water, try the soda if there's two (bring it back)
Expensive shoes worn, Louis Vuitton seats, roof gone
Coke cheap, my face is like a coupon
I gotta do Shawn, cause even when Jay-Z was lukewarm
I was gettin' my loot on, nigga I'm too strong
Eat til the food's gone, they placed me on this earth
The twin brother of Rich Porter, separated at birth
I got the soul of a hustler, quiet noise like a muffler
Fuck with us, walk through the ghetto, see the place that corrupted us
Learn why we buck at the guys that come up with us
Ain't enough bucks for us to split in this shit
Plus ain't nobody lovin' us, and with that said
Back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is dead, and uh
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been a
Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah
I ah, think there's been a
I, I think there's been
See my life is like a see-saw
And until I move this weight it's gon' keep me to the floor
Travel with me through my deep thoughts
Y'all can't learn Jigga by the shit y'all be readin' in The Source
It's deeper of course
Follow the life of this reckless minor
At sixteen in the six hundred, unlicensed driver
Playin', cops and robbers, like shots can't stop us
Flippin' a bird to the choppers (fuck you coppers)
Buck-thirty on the turns
Reckless abandon, when I'm standin' on this pedal
Hand on my metal, minus all this time they tryin' to give me
Lord help me, all I ever wanted to be was wealthy or
Somebody to tell me that they felt me
I tried to play the hand you dealt me
But you gave me five funnies an' shit
I was hungry I need menage money
Nothin' less than a 520, and with that said
Back to Shawn Carter the hustler, Jay-Z is
(Think there's been a murder-era-ah-ha-ah)
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Fast Car
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"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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The gunshot and lady always scare me in this song.
man I think this is a great story song
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