"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.
These walls are paper thin
And everyone hears every little sound
Everyone's a voyeurist
They're watching me, watch them, watch me right now
They're shaking hands, they're shaking in their shoes
Oh Lord, don't shake me down
Everyone wants two of them
And half of everyone else moves around
It's been agreed the whole world stinks
So no one's taking showers anymore
Laugh hard, it's a long ways to the bank
I can't be blamed for nothing anymore
It's been a long time since you've been around
Laugh hard, it's a long ways to the bank
Tow the line to tax the time, you know
That you don't owe
I can't be a fool for everyone
That I don't know
These walls are paper thin
And everyone hears every little sound
Everyone's a voyeurist
They're watching me, watch them, watch me right now
They're shaking hands, they're shaking in their shoes
Oh Lord, don't shake me down
Everyone wants two of them
And half of everyone else moves around
It's been agreed the whole world stinks
So no one's taking showers anymore
Laugh hard, it's a long ways to the bank
Tow the line to tax the time, you know
That you don't owe
I can't be a fool for everyone
That I don't know
And everyone hears every little sound
Everyone's a voyeurist
They're watching me, watch them, watch me right now
They're shaking hands, they're shaking in their shoes
Oh Lord, don't shake me down
Everyone wants two of them
And half of everyone else moves around
It's been agreed the whole world stinks
So no one's taking showers anymore
Laugh hard, it's a long ways to the bank
I can't be blamed for nothing anymore
It's been a long time since you've been around
Laugh hard, it's a long ways to the bank
Tow the line to tax the time, you know
That you don't owe
I can't be a fool for everyone
That I don't know
These walls are paper thin
And everyone hears every little sound
Everyone's a voyeurist
They're watching me, watch them, watch me right now
They're shaking hands, they're shaking in their shoes
Oh Lord, don't shake me down
Everyone wants two of them
And half of everyone else moves around
It's been agreed the whole world stinks
So no one's taking showers anymore
Laugh hard, it's a long ways to the bank
Tow the line to tax the time, you know
That you don't owe
I can't be a fool for everyone
That I don't know
Lyrics submitted by PLANES, edited by ARampaginWalrus, bassmaster
Paper Thin Walls Lyrics as written by Isaac Brock Eric Judy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Its like the paper thin walls bit is reffering to how easy it is to see what other people are doing and fit in with the social norm.
"These walls are paper thin And everyone hears every little sound Everyone's a voyeur, their watching me Watch them, watch me right now "
Then he goes onto say that people will do what they must to get ahead even if they now its wrong.
"They're shakin’ hands, they're shakin’ in their shoes Oh Lord, don't shake me down"
And how greedy everyone is and how people in third world countires starve to keep the west fat and lazy.(no offence to any nice westeners)
"Everyone wants two of them And half of everyone else who’s around"
Then he goes on to say that since evryone acts this way its become okay to do so even if its really bad.
"Its been agreed, the whole world stinks So no ones taking showers anymore"
And then he says that all this greed is pointless ad eventually tiresome even if you find a little pleasure in it.
"Laugh hard its a long ways to the bank."
And eventually he goes on to say how he doesnt care how everyone else acts he's just going to be honest with himself and let everyone else get on with their lives and how he'll let himself be abused for others profit cos he doesnt care about the money. He'll no longer let himself be dragged down by others.
"I can't be blamed for nothin’ anymore It's been a long time since you've been around Laugh hard it’s a long ways to the bank Tow the line to tax the time, you know That you don't owe I can't be a fool for everyone that I don't know"