"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.
They'll find it on the stairs
Politely placed it there
Been so unkind without a hint
A warning sign for them
Read my apology
Their hope of disbelief
But no denial changes things
No remedy ahead
I am not to be martyred
I am not to be worshipped
Did it not to be strong, strong, strong
I implicate no others in this crime
I'm off on a rocket ship
Prepared for something new
I'm off on a rocket ship
Ecstatic with the view
I am scared of the things upcoming
And I want for the things I don't have
Cannot stand to be one of many
I'm not what they are
Will gather in my name
The morning will begin
It's all or nothing over there
It's teasing me again
I am not to be martyred
I am not to be worshipped
Did it not to be strong, strong, strong
I implicate no others in this crime
I'm off on a rocket ship
Prepared for something new
I'm off on a rocket ship
Ecstatic with the view
I am scared of the things upcoming
And I want for the things I don't have
Cannot stand to be one of many
I'm not what they are
I am scared of the things upcoming
And I want for the things I don't have
Cannot stand to be one of many
I'm not what they are
Politely placed it there
Been so unkind without a hint
A warning sign for them
Read my apology
Their hope of disbelief
But no denial changes things
No remedy ahead
I am not to be martyred
I am not to be worshipped
Did it not to be strong, strong, strong
I implicate no others in this crime
I'm off on a rocket ship
Prepared for something new
I'm off on a rocket ship
Ecstatic with the view
I am scared of the things upcoming
And I want for the things I don't have
Cannot stand to be one of many
I'm not what they are
Will gather in my name
The morning will begin
It's all or nothing over there
It's teasing me again
I am not to be martyred
I am not to be worshipped
Did it not to be strong, strong, strong
I implicate no others in this crime
I'm off on a rocket ship
Prepared for something new
I'm off on a rocket ship
Ecstatic with the view
I am scared of the things upcoming
And I want for the things I don't have
Cannot stand to be one of many
I'm not what they are
I am scared of the things upcoming
And I want for the things I don't have
Cannot stand to be one of many
I'm not what they are
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Fast Car
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don't think christ at all. "they'll gather in my name" is a reference to the mourning, not the lord. if the actual spelling in that lyric is actually "morning", then that's a witty play on it.