"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.
Pull the world out from underneath you there is no new one here to greet you just days like snakes crawling up your leg the work seems worthless, at least hardly worth it when everything you have to say is invalidated by the smile on their face I know now it matters little whether or not I survive it's all I've ever wanted and it means nothing you take your share you take your turn we watch you laugh someday we will watch you burn! I know now it matters little whether or not you survive I swear there's more to it than just the dull ache swine go by so fucking smug do you really have to feel like you just won something? it's my choice. I won't fake it. it's my choice. I will take my chances.
Lyrics submitted by Jawbreaker4Fs
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"do you really have to feel like you just won something?" is my favorite line.