"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.
Tell me now
Or are you teasing?
I felt the cold hard facts of life
Five degrees from freezing
Does it amuse you to always
Hurt me so?
It try my best it's not enough
Should I give up and let you?
What more is there to take from me?
There's nothing else to give you, dear
There's nothing more that I can lose
Except this heart shaped bruise
It will fade
From purple to violet
It will fade
Just as the day dissolves into twilight
Tell me now
Or am I only dreaming?
You said that you'd be mine for life
And now you say you're leaving
If I could hold you once more
Before you go
When I approach you just lash out
Should I give up and let you?
What more is there to take from me?
There's nothing left give you, dear
There's nothing else that I can lose
Except this heart shaped bruise
It will fade from purple to violet
It will fade...
She's pulling out the pin
Or are you teasing?
I felt the cold hard facts of life
Five degrees from freezing
Does it amuse you to always
Hurt me so?
It try my best it's not enough
Should I give up and let you?
What more is there to take from me?
There's nothing else to give you, dear
There's nothing more that I can lose
Except this heart shaped bruise
It will fade
From purple to violet
It will fade
Just as the day dissolves into twilight
Tell me now
Or am I only dreaming?
You said that you'd be mine for life
And now you say you're leaving
If I could hold you once more
Before you go
When I approach you just lash out
Should I give up and let you?
What more is there to take from me?
There's nothing left give you, dear
There's nothing else that I can lose
Except this heart shaped bruise
It will fade from purple to violet
It will fade...
She's pulling out the pin
Lyrics submitted by clearlygonemad
Heart Shaped Bruise Lyrics as written by Elvis Costello
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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how has no one commented on this? An AMAZING song by Costello! All about feeling hopeless and lost in love. An deeply haunting song. Love it <3