"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.
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I found the cure on the hardwood floor
when I got home from work
I was feeling pretty fine
'til I started getting hiccups 'round suppertime
held my breath 'til I hit the floor
but the hiccups kept coming
even more more more
I asked my baby to stand up on a chair
and when I wasn't looking
she would give me a scare
I drank a glass of water
and I blew into a bag
but the hiccups kept a-comin'
a nag, nag, nag
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I found the cure on the hardwood floor
well, I was feeling low
but my baby made me go
down to the honky tonk and hillbilly show
an hour in the line-up
and I finally made the door
but the hiccups kept a-coming'
even more, more, more
first I heard the music
and then I felt a beat
and that's when I knew
that the hiccups would retreat
I headed for the dance floor
I really did my best
I did the rump jump
I guess the whiskey did the rest
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I found the cure on the hardwood floor
honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I found the cure on the hardwood floor
I found the cure on the hardwood floor
the only cure is the hardwood floor
hic!
ready steady go
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I found the cure on the hardwood floor
when I got home from work
I was feeling pretty fine
'til I started getting hiccups 'round suppertime
held my breath 'til I hit the floor
but the hiccups kept coming
even more more more
I asked my baby to stand up on a chair
and when I wasn't looking
she would give me a scare
I drank a glass of water
and I blew into a bag
but the hiccups kept a-comin'
a nag, nag, nag
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I found the cure on the hardwood floor
well, I was feeling low
but my baby made me go
down to the honky tonk and hillbilly show
an hour in the line-up
and I finally made the door
but the hiccups kept a-coming'
even more, more, more
first I heard the music
and then I felt a beat
and that's when I knew
that the hiccups would retreat
I headed for the dance floor
I really did my best
I did the rump jump
I guess the whiskey did the rest
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I found the cure on the hardwood floor
honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I got the honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
honky tonk hiccups
ready steady go
I found the cure on the hardwood floor
I found the cure on the hardwood floor
the only cure is the hardwood floor
hic!
Lyrics submitted by delial
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Punchline
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This song is so f*cking catchy. I'm a DJ at my college's radio station and I play this song just about every time I'm on the air. Its a great song to dance to.