"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.
Do I love you?
Do I lust for you?
Am I a sinner because I do the two?
Can you let me know
Right now, please
Bonita Applebum?
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita, Bonita, Bonita
Hey, Bonita, glad to meet ya
For the cunning, stunning you, miss, I must beseech ya, mhm
Hey, being with you is a top priority
Ain't no need to question the authority, mhm
Chairman of the board, the chief of affections
You got mine's to swing in your direction
Hey, you're like a hip hop song, you know?
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita, Bonita, Bonita
38-24-37 (mmm, mmm, mmm)
You and me, hun, we're a match made in Heaven
I like to kiss ya where some brothers won't
Listen, I like to tell ya things some brothers don't, mhm
If only you could see through your elaborate eyes
Only you and me, hun, the love never dies
Satisfaction, I have the right tactics
And if you need 'em, I got crazy prophylactics
So far, I hope you like rap songs
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita, Bonita, Bonita
(Sex, sex)
(Sex, freaks)
(Freaks, peace)
Do I lust for you?
Am I a sinner because I do the two?
Can you let me know
Right now, please
Bonita Applebum?
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita, Bonita, Bonita
Hey, Bonita, glad to meet ya
For the cunning, stunning you, miss, I must beseech ya, mhm
Hey, being with you is a top priority
Ain't no need to question the authority, mhm
Chairman of the board, the chief of affections
You got mine's to swing in your direction
Hey, you're like a hip hop song, you know?
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita, Bonita, Bonita
38-24-37 (mmm, mmm, mmm)
You and me, hun, we're a match made in Heaven
I like to kiss ya where some brothers won't
Listen, I like to tell ya things some brothers don't, mhm
If only you could see through your elaborate eyes
Only you and me, hun, the love never dies
Satisfaction, I have the right tactics
And if you need 'em, I got crazy prophylactics
So far, I hope you like rap songs
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, I said you gotta put me on
Bonita Applebum, you gotta put me on
Bonita, Bonita, Bonita
(Sex, sex)
(Sex, freaks)
(Freaks, peace)
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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I just heard this on the radio and I can't understand why "prophylactics" was edited out. Why are we censoring safe sex practices but it's okay to play songs about sex with strippers and skeeting on them in a club?