"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.
Here there is no revelry
The sadness needs no leavening
So loose your boots and sit yourself down
Deep inside the water tank
Over by the riverbank
There I saw my little girl drown
Call it a detour
Ugly and impure
Save yourself
Where is the life line
Here on the highline
Save yourself
I came back here at 24
My friends all say what you're doing this for
Well my father died and passed this shit to me
Rub my hands in turpentine
My prospect's now being undermined
With bankers knocking daily at my door
Call it a detour
Ugly and impure
Save yourself
Where is the life line
Here on the highline
Save yourself
Lost inside the peloton
With the Jerry Lewis telethon
Ticking soft until I fall fast asleep
Slipped away with candlelight
Leather chaps and cattle drives
This is not the life I meant to lead
Call it a detour
Ugly and impure
Save yourself
But where is the life line
Here on the highline
Save yourself
Save yourself
The sadness needs no leavening
So loose your boots and sit yourself down
Deep inside the water tank
Over by the riverbank
There I saw my little girl drown
Call it a detour
Ugly and impure
Save yourself
Where is the life line
Here on the highline
Save yourself
I came back here at 24
My friends all say what you're doing this for
Well my father died and passed this shit to me
Rub my hands in turpentine
My prospect's now being undermined
With bankers knocking daily at my door
Call it a detour
Ugly and impure
Save yourself
Where is the life line
Here on the highline
Save yourself
Lost inside the peloton
With the Jerry Lewis telethon
Ticking soft until I fall fast asleep
Slipped away with candlelight
Leather chaps and cattle drives
This is not the life I meant to lead
Call it a detour
Ugly and impure
Save yourself
But where is the life line
Here on the highline
Save yourself
Save yourself
Lyrics submitted by dragonflower44
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As i was sitting in the car today it dawned on me the meaning of this song. Save yourself is written retrospectively.It is written about an individual who leaves (Montana I believe, in this case)his/her home due to bitter feelings. But upon the passing of a family member (father), has inherited both the emotional and fiscal burdens of the given individual, i.e. inheriting a cattle farm up in the hi- line of Montana. The Hi-line is a string of small towns and open spaces off of highway 2 right next to the Canadian boarder. Being forced back into small town farming culture, and with the questioning of his/her friends this individual is hoping for something more than small town life yet is stuck with the emotional burden of upholding his or her honor to his culture and heritage fighting the urge to urbanize. The words "save yourself" are repeated to better illustrate the hardships of small town life. the boredom that consumes this individual as he/she is being held hostage. The life line being civilization that is lacking all around.
I agree with all of this, and would like to add that the Hi-Line also has a large, impoverished Native American population due to nearby Reservations, miserable weather, and the nation's deadliest Superfund site (Libby asbestos). It's an incredibly depressing place to try to eke out a living. Tarkio has captured the feeling of the place very well.