"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.
"As I raise my head to broadcast my objection
As your latest triumph draws the final straw
Who died and lifted you up to perfection?
And what silenced me is written into law
I can't believe where circumstance has thrown me
And I turn my head away
If I look I'm not sure that I could face you
Not again, not today, not today
If hatred makes a play on me tomorrow
And forgiveness takes a back seat to revenge
There's a hurt down deep that has not been corrected
There's a voice in me that says you will not win
And if I ignore the voice inside
Raise a half glass to my home
But it's there that I am most afraid
And forgetting doesn't hold
It doesn't hold
Now I don't believe and I never did
That two wrongs make a right
If the world were filled with the likes of you
Then I'm putting up a fight
Putting up a fight
Putting up a fight
Make it right
Make it right
Now love cannot be called into question
Forgiveness is the only hope I hold
And love, love will be my strongest weapon
I do believe that I am not alone
For this fear will not destroy me
And the tears that have been shed
It's knowing now where I am weakest
And the voice in my head
In my head
Then I raise my voice up higher
And I look you in the eye
And I offer love with one condition
With conviction, tell me why
Tell me why
Tell me why
Look me in the eye
Tell me why
As your latest triumph draws the final straw
Who died and lifted you up to perfection?
And what silenced me is written into law
I can't believe where circumstance has thrown me
And I turn my head away
If I look I'm not sure that I could face you
Not again, not today, not today
If hatred makes a play on me tomorrow
And forgiveness takes a back seat to revenge
There's a hurt down deep that has not been corrected
There's a voice in me that says you will not win
And if I ignore the voice inside
Raise a half glass to my home
But it's there that I am most afraid
And forgetting doesn't hold
It doesn't hold
Now I don't believe and I never did
That two wrongs make a right
If the world were filled with the likes of you
Then I'm putting up a fight
Putting up a fight
Putting up a fight
Make it right
Make it right
Now love cannot be called into question
Forgiveness is the only hope I hold
And love, love will be my strongest weapon
I do believe that I am not alone
For this fear will not destroy me
And the tears that have been shed
It's knowing now where I am weakest
And the voice in my head
In my head
Then I raise my voice up higher
And I look you in the eye
And I offer love with one condition
With conviction, tell me why
Tell me why
Tell me why
Look me in the eye
Tell me why
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This song rules. really. My bro, who is a fan of R.E.M. is saying that this is bout the government