"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.
If I get lost along the way to meet you
If I'm more than a little late
If I get caught up in circles chasing my own tail
If I trip up and fail you
If I let you down
If I let you down
I can see that injury that accompanies the passage of you
I can try to rationalize the accumulation of fear
And the dreams that draw a song in pursuit of the end of time
And the grace that illuminates the past
If I let you down
If I let you down
In the night the city's quiet
From the rooftop we can see the moon rise high above the clouds
Just enough light to see our faces give expression
To the words we thought but didn't speak
And then you asked me a question that I won't forget
Even if I spend my life trying to live up to what it means
If I let you down
If I let you down
Don't let it break down
Don't let it break down
Don't let it break down
If I'm more than a little late
If I get caught up in circles chasing my own tail
If I trip up and fail you
If I let you down
If I let you down
I can see that injury that accompanies the passage of you
I can try to rationalize the accumulation of fear
And the dreams that draw a song in pursuit of the end of time
And the grace that illuminates the past
If I let you down
If I let you down
In the night the city's quiet
From the rooftop we can see the moon rise high above the clouds
Just enough light to see our faces give expression
To the words we thought but didn't speak
And then you asked me a question that I won't forget
Even if I spend my life trying to live up to what it means
If I let you down
If I let you down
Don't let it break down
Don't let it break down
Don't let it break down
Lyrics submitted by mrs-mojo-risin
Late Blues Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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At a first listen i thought it was a sex song too =] I heard "If i lay you down" hahahah i love it though the imagery the sincere tone of voice everything Ida's a great band though.