"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've been looking so long at these pictures of you
That i almost believed that they're real
I've been living so long with my pictures of you
That i almost believed that the pictures are all i can feel
Remembering you
Standing quiet in the rain
As i ran to your heart to be near
And we kissed as the sky fell in
Holding you close
How i always held close in your fear
Remembering you
But in a soft through the night
You were bigger
And brighter
And whiter than snow
Spring at the make believe
Spring at the sky
And you finally found all your courage to let it all go
Remember you
Falling into my arms
Crying for the death of your heart
You were stone white
So delicate
Lost in the cold
You were always so lost in the dark
Remembering you
How you used to be
So drown
You were angels
So much more than everything
Hold for the last time
Then slip away
Quietly
Open my eyes but i never see anything
If only i thought of the right words
I could've held onto your heart
If only i thought of the right words
I wouldn't be breaking apart
All my pictures of you
Looking so long at these pictures of you
I never hold onto your heart
Looking for the words to be true
But always just breaking apart
My pictures of you
There is nothing in the world
That i ever wanted more
Than to feel you deep in my heart
There was nothing in the world
That i ever wanted more
Than to never feel the breaking apart
All my pictures of you
That i almost believed that they're real
I've been living so long with my pictures of you
That i almost believed that the pictures are all i can feel
Remembering you
Standing quiet in the rain
As i ran to your heart to be near
And we kissed as the sky fell in
Holding you close
How i always held close in your fear
Remembering you
But in a soft through the night
You were bigger
And brighter
And whiter than snow
Spring at the make believe
Spring at the sky
And you finally found all your courage to let it all go
Remember you
Falling into my arms
Crying for the death of your heart
You were stone white
So delicate
Lost in the cold
You were always so lost in the dark
Remembering you
How you used to be
So drown
You were angels
So much more than everything
Hold for the last time
Then slip away
Quietly
Open my eyes but i never see anything
If only i thought of the right words
I could've held onto your heart
If only i thought of the right words
I wouldn't be breaking apart
All my pictures of you
Looking so long at these pictures of you
I never hold onto your heart
Looking for the words to be true
But always just breaking apart
My pictures of you
There is nothing in the world
That i ever wanted more
Than to feel you deep in my heart
There was nothing in the world
That i ever wanted more
Than to never feel the breaking apart
All my pictures of you
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Fast Car
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
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I love this live. And on the stereo. If I had to pick a favorite version, it would be this one, which is strange for me, because I really don't tend to like a lot of remakes.