"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.
Your weakness is numbing my brain
A lack of love for my life means more than the pain
So erase those weak commitments
No choice, no way I'm acquitted
You'd better build another cross to hang another life
My immeasurable gain is your loss
So now run from the sights
Disease infects the paths to birthrights
Martyrs, not popular charts
Consequence rules the sects of mine
Hindsight throws the minds to past lives
Death is all around me
But now I'd rather die than follow mediocrity
Disown my flesh, no loopholes to gain
Strain on my face sustained Devotion, not a false witness
Wake up and smell the ashes
Martyrs, not popular charts
Run with the rest of the masses
I choose to stand
A lack of love for my life means more than the pain
So erase those weak commitments
No choice, no way I'm acquitted
You'd better build another cross to hang another life
My immeasurable gain is your loss
So now run from the sights
Disease infects the paths to birthrights
Martyrs, not popular charts
Consequence rules the sects of mine
Hindsight throws the minds to past lives
Death is all around me
But now I'd rather die than follow mediocrity
Disown my flesh, no loopholes to gain
Strain on my face sustained Devotion, not a false witness
Wake up and smell the ashes
Martyrs, not popular charts
Run with the rest of the masses
I choose to stand
Lyrics submitted by joshbert13
Run Lyrics as written by John C. Popper
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song, to me, talks about the way most of the world follows the same weak, meaningless paths. Their lives are never lived with total commitment and total faith. In this song, Andrew states that he refuses to follow the paths others follow. He will stand resist all weaknesses and live in dedication to the beliefs he holds dear. He shows this by clearly staing "I'm aquitted" which means to be freed or cleared from a charge or accusation, in this case, sin.
I also believe it is talking about that famous saying "Whats right isn't always popular."
"Martyrs not popular charts" believing what you belief, living for what you believe and in some other cases, dying for what you believe isn't always popular. But if it is you and it is what you believe then do it. "But now i'd rather die than follow mediocrity."
I believe what most of the message in is all about your beliefs.
Run with the ress of the masses I choose to stand.
And in my case, I stand in my walk.
Probably about Holy Martyrs, those who died for Jesus Christ. P86 is complaining about people in the Church using them as tools to draw some "customers".