"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.
come all you good time people
while I’ve got money to spend
tomorrow might be monday
and I never have a dollar nor a friend
when I had plenty of money, good people
all my friends would gather around
just soon as my pocket book was empty
not a friend on earth could be found
the last time I saw my little woman, good people
had a wine glass in her hand
she's drinking away all her troubles
with a lowdown sorry man
my papa taught me a plenty, good people
my mama taught me more
if I don't quit my lowdown rowdy ways
I’m gonna have more trouble at my door
I wrote my woman a letter, good people
and I told her I was in jail
she wrote me back an answer
said now honey I’m soon come and go your bail
all around this old jail house is haunted, good people
forty dollars won't pay my fine
corn liquor surrounds my body
and pretty women aching my mind
if I would've listened to my mama, good people
I wouldn't have been here today
drinking and shooting and gambling
at home I could not stay
dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow
dig a hole in the ground
when I’m dead and buried, my pale face turned toward the sun
you can come and see the way you have done
give me corn bread when I’m hungry, good people
corn whisky when I’m dry
pretty women surrounding my body
and bring me heaven when I die
while I’ve got money to spend
tomorrow might be monday
and I never have a dollar nor a friend
when I had plenty of money, good people
all my friends would gather around
just soon as my pocket book was empty
not a friend on earth could be found
the last time I saw my little woman, good people
had a wine glass in her hand
she's drinking away all her troubles
with a lowdown sorry man
my papa taught me a plenty, good people
my mama taught me more
if I don't quit my lowdown rowdy ways
I’m gonna have more trouble at my door
I wrote my woman a letter, good people
and I told her I was in jail
she wrote me back an answer
said now honey I’m soon come and go your bail
all around this old jail house is haunted, good people
forty dollars won't pay my fine
corn liquor surrounds my body
and pretty women aching my mind
if I would've listened to my mama, good people
I wouldn't have been here today
drinking and shooting and gambling
at home I could not stay
dig a hole, dig a hole in the meadow
dig a hole in the ground
when I’m dead and buried, my pale face turned toward the sun
you can come and see the way you have done
give me corn bread when I’m hungry, good people
corn whisky when I’m dry
pretty women surrounding my body
and bring me heaven when I die
Lyrics submitted by ikefox
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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