"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.
[Verse 1]
I drove up to the city at night and found the place
Where you grew up and then where you stayed
And then we walked around and stayed up late
Under city lights; and I spent the night
Next to you in the house where you grew up
Next to you, I miraculously woke up
In your parents' house I lied in bed with you
[Chorus]
I went back to feel alone there
I went back to wipe it clean
I took the lights and radio towers out of my dreams
[Verse 2]
And we went all the way up to the small town where I'm from
With foggy air and the wind and the mountaintops
And we clung to rocks and we looked off
You held my hand, you almost got to start feeling me
I finally felt like I was breathing free
And under swaying trees, we fell asleep and had the same dream
The stars were bright, we dream the same every night
On my island home I spent some time with you
[Chorus]
I went back to feel alone there
I went back there by myself
And gave up on everything that we'd felt
[Verse 3]
We found a precious place in the sand right out in the wind
And we lied under a blanket and heard the furious sound
The roar of waves, the pounding surf, two bodies on the earth
It was intense just getting to be there next to you
And you were trying to get me then
And I was happy to let you in
[Chorus]
I went back and wished I hadn't
I went back and felt regret
I went to the beach and I stared west
[Verse 4]
And every night when the sun went down in the town where we live
The empty streets were lit up by reflective light
From a distant sun bouncing off a glowing ball of rock
We just lied on the roof and watched
The moon, the blue light of the moon
The moon, the moon, the blue light of the moon
We didn't talk and silently we both felt powerful
Like the moon, my chest was full
Because we both knew we're just floating in space over molten rock
And we felt safe and we discovered that our skin is soft
There's nothing left except certain death
And that was comforting at night out under the moon
[Chorus]
I went out last night to forget that
I went out and stared it down
But the moon just stared back at me
And in its light I saw my two feet on the ground
I drove up to the city at night and found the place
Where you grew up and then where you stayed
And then we walked around and stayed up late
Under city lights; and I spent the night
Next to you in the house where you grew up
Next to you, I miraculously woke up
In your parents' house I lied in bed with you
[Chorus]
I went back to feel alone there
I went back to wipe it clean
I took the lights and radio towers out of my dreams
[Verse 2]
And we went all the way up to the small town where I'm from
With foggy air and the wind and the mountaintops
And we clung to rocks and we looked off
You held my hand, you almost got to start feeling me
I finally felt like I was breathing free
And under swaying trees, we fell asleep and had the same dream
The stars were bright, we dream the same every night
On my island home I spent some time with you
[Chorus]
I went back to feel alone there
I went back there by myself
And gave up on everything that we'd felt
[Verse 3]
We found a precious place in the sand right out in the wind
And we lied under a blanket and heard the furious sound
The roar of waves, the pounding surf, two bodies on the earth
It was intense just getting to be there next to you
And you were trying to get me then
And I was happy to let you in
[Chorus]
I went back and wished I hadn't
I went back and felt regret
I went to the beach and I stared west
[Verse 4]
And every night when the sun went down in the town where we live
The empty streets were lit up by reflective light
From a distant sun bouncing off a glowing ball of rock
We just lied on the roof and watched
The moon, the blue light of the moon
The moon, the moon, the blue light of the moon
We didn't talk and silently we both felt powerful
Like the moon, my chest was full
Because we both knew we're just floating in space over molten rock
And we felt safe and we discovered that our skin is soft
There's nothing left except certain death
And that was comforting at night out under the moon
[Chorus]
I went out last night to forget that
I went out and stared it down
But the moon just stared back at me
And in its light I saw my two feet on the ground
Lyrics submitted by orbitings, edited by nick108030, itsmecaitlind, Mellow_Harsher
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No its not on any version.