"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.
The barrel shot lead into me
All that i can taste is the bullet
The shot-hole in my vanity
And I can't find a place to put it
And you look like my type
So get in line
Take a number and i'll give you a time
Say you want me, say you'd kill to have me there
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed
Say you want me, say you'd kill to have me there (say you want me)
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed (say you want me)
I wish I could take your face and stitch it onto all their faces
Relationships that take your place
End up being all I hated
And you look like my type
So get in line
Grab a number and i'll give you a time
Say you want me say you'd kill to have me there
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed
Say you want me say you'd kill to have me there (say you want me)
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed (say you want me)
This bed...
Oh-oh oh-woah x3
Say you want me
I'm what you want
Say you want me
The barrel shot lead into me
And all that i can taste is the bullet
Say you want me say you'd kill to have me there
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed
Say you want me say you'd kill to have me there (say you want me)
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed (say you want me)
All that i can taste is the bullet
The shot-hole in my vanity
And I can't find a place to put it
And you look like my type
So get in line
Take a number and i'll give you a time
Say you want me, say you'd kill to have me there
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed
Say you want me, say you'd kill to have me there (say you want me)
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed (say you want me)
I wish I could take your face and stitch it onto all their faces
Relationships that take your place
End up being all I hated
And you look like my type
So get in line
Grab a number and i'll give you a time
Say you want me say you'd kill to have me there
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed
Say you want me say you'd kill to have me there (say you want me)
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed (say you want me)
This bed...
Oh-oh oh-woah x3
Say you want me
I'm what you want
Say you want me
The barrel shot lead into me
And all that i can taste is the bullet
Say you want me say you'd kill to have me there
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed
Say you want me say you'd kill to have me there (say you want me)
Cos since you shot me i've been dying in this bed (say you want me)
Lyrics submitted by kezdump
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Fast Car
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SAY YOU WANT MEEEE how can you not love it