"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.
No pennies from heaven, no pennies in my hand
Think your drinkin' wine, Dad, it's blood of the lamb
That's no way to treat your son now is it, Abraham
After he busted his ass for you
You've never known no hunger, never took a risk
Through you know you should, you know you'd never raise a fist
If the boss asked you to jump you know
You'd find the nearest cliff
That man talks down to you
And you talk down to me too now
Master and Slave in equal parts
split down the middle,
drinkin' doubles at the bar
Master and Slave,
God bless you both
I got two for the price of one
Master and Slave in equal parts
split down the middle,
drinkin' doubles at the bar
Master and Slave,
God bless you both
I got two for the price of one
Such a deal for your only son
When will this tension be all over
For fallen sons and fathers too
I'm down to my last dime
No faith in mankind
c'mon let's swing into the groove...
Like Jack Horner wrapped up in a corner
But I never saw a slice of no pie
Ooh, too busy standin' in line
Just waitin' for bread
But the father he walks the water
He ain't never tossed a nickel to his son
Ain't I your prodigal boy?
Ain't I your pride and joy?
Friends and Romans, I'm your brother
I'm scratchin' to hang on
The pursuit of happiness is just a carpetbaggers con
When a can of pork and beans could change my attitude
You won't give it up but I coulda been you
While the masters and slaves scratch
For pieces of the dream
For purple mountain majesties
Whatever the hell that means
They give up on each other
And that's the way they get ahead
But I can still see the stars
Through these red, white, and blue prison bars
Master and Slave in equal parts
split down the middle,
drinkin' doubles at the bar
Master and Slave,
God bless you both
I got two for the price of one
Master and Slave in equal parts
split down the middle,
drinkin' doubles at the bar
Master and Slave,
God bless you both
I got two for the price of one
Such a deal for your only son
Master and slave
Master and slave
Ooh, Master and slave
Think your drinkin' wine, Dad, it's blood of the lamb
That's no way to treat your son now is it, Abraham
After he busted his ass for you
You've never known no hunger, never took a risk
Through you know you should, you know you'd never raise a fist
If the boss asked you to jump you know
You'd find the nearest cliff
That man talks down to you
And you talk down to me too now
Master and Slave in equal parts
split down the middle,
drinkin' doubles at the bar
Master and Slave,
God bless you both
I got two for the price of one
Master and Slave in equal parts
split down the middle,
drinkin' doubles at the bar
Master and Slave,
God bless you both
I got two for the price of one
Such a deal for your only son
When will this tension be all over
For fallen sons and fathers too
I'm down to my last dime
No faith in mankind
c'mon let's swing into the groove...
Like Jack Horner wrapped up in a corner
But I never saw a slice of no pie
Ooh, too busy standin' in line
Just waitin' for bread
But the father he walks the water
He ain't never tossed a nickel to his son
Ain't I your prodigal boy?
Ain't I your pride and joy?
Friends and Romans, I'm your brother
I'm scratchin' to hang on
The pursuit of happiness is just a carpetbaggers con
When a can of pork and beans could change my attitude
You won't give it up but I coulda been you
While the masters and slaves scratch
For pieces of the dream
For purple mountain majesties
Whatever the hell that means
They give up on each other
And that's the way they get ahead
But I can still see the stars
Through these red, white, and blue prison bars
Master and Slave in equal parts
split down the middle,
drinkin' doubles at the bar
Master and Slave,
God bless you both
I got two for the price of one
Master and Slave in equal parts
split down the middle,
drinkin' doubles at the bar
Master and Slave,
God bless you both
I got two for the price of one
Such a deal for your only son
Master and slave
Master and slave
Ooh, Master and slave
Lyrics submitted by JoKeR4MeNToR
Master and Slave Lyrics as written by Steve Perry
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think it's about the differences between the poor and the well off. I think it's from a point of view of a poor person who realizes that he's getting screwed by the system, and he realizes that, in the Bible, God (the master) always seemed to screw over his followers (Jesus, Abraham). So he realizes he can do nothing about it, that's it just the way it is.