"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.
I can't get out of bed today or get you off my mind
I just can't seem to find a way to leave the love behind
I ain't trippin', I'm just missin' you
You know what I'm sayin', you know what I mean
You kept me hangin' on a string
Why you make me cry?
I tried to give you everything, but you just give me lies
I ain't trippin', I'm just missin' you
You know what I'm sayin', you know what I mean, yeah
Every now and then, when I'm all alone
I've been wishin' you would call me on the telephone
Say you want me back, but you never do
I feel like such a fool, there's nothing I can do
I'm such a fool for you
I can't take it
What am I waiting for?
My heart's still breakin'
I miss you even more
And I can't fake it
The way I could before
I hate you, but I love you
I can't stop thinkin' of you
It's true, I'm stuck on you
Now love's a broken record that's been skippin' in my head
I keep singing yesterday
Why we got to play these games we play?
I ain't trippin', I'm just missin' you
You know what I'm sayin', you know what I mean
Every now and then, when I'm all alone
I've been wishin' you would call me on the telephone
Say you want me back, but you never do
I feel like such a fool
I can't take it
What am I waiting for?
My heart's still breakin'
I miss you even more
And I can't fake it
The way I could before
I hate you, but I love you
I can't stop thinkin' of you
It's true, I'm stuck on you
You
Yeah
Every now and then, when I'm all alone
I've been wishin' you would call me on the telephone
Say you want me back, but you never do
I feel like such a fool, there's nothing I can do
I'm such a fool for you
I can't take it
What am I waiting for?
My heart's still breakin'
I miss you even more
And I can't fake it
The way I could before
I hate you, but I love you
I can't stop thinkin' of you
I hate you, but I love you
I can't stop thinkin' of you
Don't know what to do
I'm stuck on you
I just can't seem to find a way to leave the love behind
I ain't trippin', I'm just missin' you
You know what I'm sayin', you know what I mean
You kept me hangin' on a string
Why you make me cry?
I tried to give you everything, but you just give me lies
I ain't trippin', I'm just missin' you
You know what I'm sayin', you know what I mean, yeah
Every now and then, when I'm all alone
I've been wishin' you would call me on the telephone
Say you want me back, but you never do
I feel like such a fool, there's nothing I can do
I'm such a fool for you
I can't take it
What am I waiting for?
My heart's still breakin'
I miss you even more
And I can't fake it
The way I could before
I hate you, but I love you
I can't stop thinkin' of you
It's true, I'm stuck on you
Now love's a broken record that's been skippin' in my head
I keep singing yesterday
Why we got to play these games we play?
I ain't trippin', I'm just missin' you
You know what I'm sayin', you know what I mean
Every now and then, when I'm all alone
I've been wishin' you would call me on the telephone
Say you want me back, but you never do
I feel like such a fool
I can't take it
What am I waiting for?
My heart's still breakin'
I miss you even more
And I can't fake it
The way I could before
I hate you, but I love you
I can't stop thinkin' of you
It's true, I'm stuck on you
You
Yeah
Every now and then, when I'm all alone
I've been wishin' you would call me on the telephone
Say you want me back, but you never do
I feel like such a fool, there's nothing I can do
I'm such a fool for you
I can't take it
What am I waiting for?
My heart's still breakin'
I miss you even more
And I can't fake it
The way I could before
I hate you, but I love you
I can't stop thinkin' of you
I hate you, but I love you
I can't stop thinkin' of you
Don't know what to do
I'm stuck on you
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