"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.
He's the one, pure in his heart
Shining fair in the bliss never lost
Noble grace, innocent faith
Running throughout the fields immense
Shouting free in the air again
Dancing there with the wind
Sudden gust hit my face
Burning rain tore the clouds
From depth of the gloaming, thunder came
On a mountain I saw it
When lightning reached out for him
Enchanting my eyes in magical rhapsody
On a mountain I watched him
As power filled up his veins
Surrounded by dusk
As the rain from the heavens were falling, falling
And lone he might be on the ways of this world
His sword, sole companion, always there
On a mountain I watched him
When proudly he swung his steel
Entrancing my heart in mystical harmony
On a mountain I saw it
When knowledge aroused his sense
Encircled by clouds
In the gales now enlightened reborn
Wish I could fly through the land beloved
Not in my dream, nor by spell then bound
Paradise's here in these fields immense
Here is my life, not above
How could I leave this place?
Wish I could fly through this land he loved
Not in a dream, nor by spell then bound
Paradise's here in these fields immense
If I return to this world, here I will live again
Strengthened by fury, I feel no fear
Fire inside, it keeps me awake
For no blind I ever shall bend
This is my law, this is my way, hey
Insight's my power, truth is my breath
Free in my thoughts I always remain
Choose to take a different path
Strong in the storms, pure through the waste
Stand up, oh brothers over the world
Enemies there are mostly the same
We are a kind that never gives in
We are a flame born in the wind, hey
Time's of no matter, it never was
World is the same, just different form
Freedom is something one doesn't earn
Always your own, graced by the will
He is the one, pure in his heart
Shining fair in the bright, never lost
Noble grace, unbroken faith
Running throughout the fields immense
Shouting free in the air embraced
Dancing there with the wind
Shining fair in the bliss never lost
Noble grace, innocent faith
Running throughout the fields immense
Shouting free in the air again
Dancing there with the wind
Sudden gust hit my face
Burning rain tore the clouds
From depth of the gloaming, thunder came
On a mountain I saw it
When lightning reached out for him
Enchanting my eyes in magical rhapsody
On a mountain I watched him
As power filled up his veins
Surrounded by dusk
As the rain from the heavens were falling, falling
And lone he might be on the ways of this world
His sword, sole companion, always there
On a mountain I watched him
When proudly he swung his steel
Entrancing my heart in mystical harmony
On a mountain I saw it
When knowledge aroused his sense
Encircled by clouds
In the gales now enlightened reborn
Wish I could fly through the land beloved
Not in my dream, nor by spell then bound
Paradise's here in these fields immense
Here is my life, not above
How could I leave this place?
Wish I could fly through this land he loved
Not in a dream, nor by spell then bound
Paradise's here in these fields immense
If I return to this world, here I will live again
Strengthened by fury, I feel no fear
Fire inside, it keeps me awake
For no blind I ever shall bend
This is my law, this is my way, hey
Insight's my power, truth is my breath
Free in my thoughts I always remain
Choose to take a different path
Strong in the storms, pure through the waste
Stand up, oh brothers over the world
Enemies there are mostly the same
We are a kind that never gives in
We are a flame born in the wind, hey
Time's of no matter, it never was
World is the same, just different form
Freedom is something one doesn't earn
Always your own, graced by the will
He is the one, pure in his heart
Shining fair in the bright, never lost
Noble grace, unbroken faith
Running throughout the fields immense
Shouting free in the air embraced
Dancing there with the wind
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reminds me of the spartans from 300