"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.
Patience
It's like a conversation, where no-one stops to breathe
Is it my imagination, or did God already leave the table?
Such destruction, and pure white castles in the sand
No time for introduction
With all that money changing hands
And the satellite says, "Take a look at all we have"
But the old man says,
"You want my family, for your liberty, I can't do that."
Look into the eyes of any patient man
Whether they be amber, green or blue,
There's a piece of God staring back at you
But they see our children, and the old folk fend for themselves
They see our broken women
On imaginary shelves
But the satellite says, "Won't you people look at all we have?
Don't you want it?
Can't you see the things that you lack?"
Children in his arms, he turns his back.
It's like a conversation, where no-one stops to breathe
Is it my imagination, or did God already leave the table?
Such destruction, and pure white castles in the sand
No time for introduction
With all that money changing hands
And the satellite says, "Take a look at all we have"
But the old man says,
"You want my family, for your liberty, I can't do that."
Look into the eyes of any patient man
Whether they be amber, green or blue,
There's a piece of God staring back at you
But they see our children, and the old folk fend for themselves
They see our broken women
On imaginary shelves
But the satellite says, "Won't you people look at all we have?
Don't you want it?
Can't you see the things that you lack?"
Children in his arms, he turns his back.
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For me the satellite is the adds on the TV representing the corporations.
It's like a conversation, where no-one stops to breathe
No time for introduction With all that money changing hands
And the satellite says, "Take a look at all we have" But the old man says, "You want my family, for your liberty...I can't do that."
Look into the eyes of any patient man Whether they be amber, green or blue, There's a piece of God staring back at you
But they see our children, and the old folk fend for themselves They see our broken women On imaginary shelves
But the satellite says, "Won't you people look at all we have? Don't you want it?
Can't you see the things that you lack?"
Children in his arms, he turns his back.
@Bilal074 Thanks for sharing. You described my own thoughts about the lyrics better than I could ever put in words !!! Much appreciated !!<br />