"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.
We've been here for too long, please let me out
You've caused so much problems and you've really let me down,
And you've broken all your promises,
All that's left are broken feelings, I'm still healing
I can't believe that you deceived me for so long
I fought for us but I can't trust you anymore
It won't be easy to make up for what you've done
I see a chance in all of this, but do I dare to take the risk?
Do you want to know, how I feel today
It's been three months of waiting and I haven't heard a thing
Do you want to know me? we used to be good friends
I guess it's more important than,
Friendships never end
It's done, you're out, I've fought, so long
You've caused so much problems and you've really let me down,
And you've broken all your promises,
All that's left are broken feelings, I'm still healing
I can't believe that you deceived me for so long
I fought for us but I can't trust you anymore
It won't be easy to make up for what you've done
I see a chance in all of this, but do I dare to take the risk?
Do you want to know, how I feel today
It's been three months of waiting and I haven't heard a thing
Do you want to know me? we used to be good friends
I guess it's more important than,
Friendships never end
It's done, you're out, I've fought, so long
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This is an amazing song.