"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.
I just want to take you away from everyone
And keep you stashed under my pillow
And then I'd take you out simply for my own pleasure
And wear you when the occasion's special
Then I'd put you on like a diamond
So I can sparkle and be the envy of my friends
I'd proudly hold the leash that I'd have you on
So you can't stray and follow me around all day
It's too late now
I don't think it can fade
It's too real now
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze
Compulsion has stained me
I'm nervously cradling our young love
Without known limits love
Like a butterfly cupped in my hands
I peek in to see beauty trapped
Confined it flutters
Then it leaves behind colorful dust
To remind me of the special times we've spent
But of course it has to leave my clutch
But enough's never enough to make a dent
It's too late now
I don't think it can fade
It's too real now
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze
(Too late)
(Too late)
(Aah)
(Aah)
And in time it will end
And there really isn't hope for the two of us
But right now I give in
It's too late now
I don't think it can fade
It's too real now
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze
(It's too late)
(It's too late)
(It's too late)
(Too late)
(It's too late)
(Too late)
(Aah, aah)
And keep you stashed under my pillow
And then I'd take you out simply for my own pleasure
And wear you when the occasion's special
Then I'd put you on like a diamond
So I can sparkle and be the envy of my friends
I'd proudly hold the leash that I'd have you on
So you can't stray and follow me around all day
It's too late now
I don't think it can fade
It's too real now
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze
Compulsion has stained me
I'm nervously cradling our young love
Without known limits love
Like a butterfly cupped in my hands
I peek in to see beauty trapped
Confined it flutters
Then it leaves behind colorful dust
To remind me of the special times we've spent
But of course it has to leave my clutch
But enough's never enough to make a dent
It's too late now
I don't think it can fade
It's too real now
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze
(Too late)
(Too late)
(Aah)
(Aah)
And in time it will end
And there really isn't hope for the two of us
But right now I give in
It's too late now
I don't think it can fade
It's too real now
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze
(It's too late)
(It's too late)
(It's too late)
(Too late)
(It's too late)
(Too late)
(Aah, aah)
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Fast Car
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i really like this song. it's pretty and meaningful.. i really like the hidden track of this song on the cd with the piano and everything