"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.
Hey I been thinkin'
I been thinkin' about nothin' yeah
Now I been thinkin about nothin' to do and nothin' but thinkin' oh yeah
I know what it is to be there
And now people there ain't nothin' here but people
Dig it yeah
Now if people got problems and they got problems with people oh yeah
I know what it is to be there
You gotta smoke it (smoke it)
Just as long as you can smoke it (smoke it) yeah (yeah)
If people got problems and they got problems with people oh yeah
I know what it is to be there
Uninsured cop payment amortization
Local collection at its latest litigation
I should of stayed in college for about another 100 years but
I know what it is to be there
Alimony alimony don't get too drunk in Vegas
Leaves now with the waitress from any those places
People got more bagage than JFK, Yeah
And I'm talkin about the airport man
You gotta smoke it (smoke it)
Just as long as you can smoke it (smoke it) yeah (yeah)
We got child-proof containers we use only as directed
Inspected by (Number 9) it seems like he checked it
Alright, here we go, everybody together (here we go), everybody together
So lets get a big round of applause, big round of applause
To brothers and sisters, brothers mothers, sisters other mothers
Other brothers sisters mothers anyone, anyone who's here yeah
Lets have a big round of applause anyone who can do it
Yeah yeah
Smoke it (smoke it)
Just as long as you can smoke it (smoke it) yeah (yeah)
If people got problems and they got problems with people oh yeah
I know what it is to be there
More fall and extension and american emotion
Paid off our house and then it fell into the ocean
Grown up quicker and handlin' my liquor
You know what it is to be there
I registered to vote so I could extate my exemption
I thought lottery was the fifth dimension
That's why I never voted in the presidential election
Cause women are clearly more qualified to select 'em
Smoke it (smoke it)
Just as long as you can smoke it (smoke it) yeah (yeah)
So if your gonna be a dog then at least be a good dog
Come on and sit bitch shake
Smoke it (smoke it)
Just as long as you can smoke it (smoke it) yeah (yeah)
If people got problems and they got problems with people oh yeah
I know what it is to be there
Smoke it!
I been thinkin' about nothin' yeah
Now I been thinkin about nothin' to do and nothin' but thinkin' oh yeah
I know what it is to be there
And now people there ain't nothin' here but people
Dig it yeah
Now if people got problems and they got problems with people oh yeah
I know what it is to be there
You gotta smoke it (smoke it)
Just as long as you can smoke it (smoke it) yeah (yeah)
If people got problems and they got problems with people oh yeah
I know what it is to be there
Uninsured cop payment amortization
Local collection at its latest litigation
I should of stayed in college for about another 100 years but
I know what it is to be there
Alimony alimony don't get too drunk in Vegas
Leaves now with the waitress from any those places
People got more bagage than JFK, Yeah
And I'm talkin about the airport man
You gotta smoke it (smoke it)
Just as long as you can smoke it (smoke it) yeah (yeah)
We got child-proof containers we use only as directed
Inspected by (Number 9) it seems like he checked it
Alright, here we go, everybody together (here we go), everybody together
So lets get a big round of applause, big round of applause
To brothers and sisters, brothers mothers, sisters other mothers
Other brothers sisters mothers anyone, anyone who's here yeah
Lets have a big round of applause anyone who can do it
Yeah yeah
Smoke it (smoke it)
Just as long as you can smoke it (smoke it) yeah (yeah)
If people got problems and they got problems with people oh yeah
I know what it is to be there
More fall and extension and american emotion
Paid off our house and then it fell into the ocean
Grown up quicker and handlin' my liquor
You know what it is to be there
I registered to vote so I could extate my exemption
I thought lottery was the fifth dimension
That's why I never voted in the presidential election
Cause women are clearly more qualified to select 'em
Smoke it (smoke it)
Just as long as you can smoke it (smoke it) yeah (yeah)
So if your gonna be a dog then at least be a good dog
Come on and sit bitch shake
Smoke it (smoke it)
Just as long as you can smoke it (smoke it) yeah (yeah)
If people got problems and they got problems with people oh yeah
I know what it is to be there
Smoke it!
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I agree with the "fuck it" part, but I think it's because there's all this crap going in the world.