"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 don't mean to be so insolent
But you know it's cause I love you
The foundation of my malevolence
You know I'd never hurt you babe
Sometimes I might get edgy
But a man can sometimes be that way
And nobody's perfect baby
And I'll always love you anyway
Oh, Gabrielle
The sun is shinning in your eyes
Oh, Gabrielle
I didn't mean to make you cry
Oh, my sweet baby doll
I put you above everything
Oh, Gabrielle
I love you til the day I die
Sometimes I feel like my old man
You know that's hard for me to say
And sometimes I just lose my head
Don't know why I get that way
I want to keep you happy darling
It could only work out that way
Nobody's perfect baby
And I'll always love you anyway
Oh, Gabrielle
The sun is shinning in your eyes
Oh, Gabrielle
I didn't mean to make you cry
Oh, my sweet baby doll
I put you above everything
Oh, Gabrielle
I love you til the day I die
Gabrielle
Gabrielle
Well Gabrielle
You know I love you baby
Do nothing to hurt you baby
But you know I got to love you anyway
Oh, Gabrielle, you're so nice
You know I, I love you baby
Oh, my my my my my my my
Oh, Gabrielle
The sun is shinning in your eyes
Oh, Gabrielle
I didn't mean to make you cry
Oh, my sweet baby doll
I put you above everything
Oh, Gabrielle
I love you til the day I die
Gabrielle
But you know it's cause I love you
The foundation of my malevolence
You know I'd never hurt you babe
Sometimes I might get edgy
But a man can sometimes be that way
And nobody's perfect baby
And I'll always love you anyway
Oh, Gabrielle
The sun is shinning in your eyes
Oh, Gabrielle
I didn't mean to make you cry
Oh, my sweet baby doll
I put you above everything
Oh, Gabrielle
I love you til the day I die
Sometimes I feel like my old man
You know that's hard for me to say
And sometimes I just lose my head
Don't know why I get that way
I want to keep you happy darling
It could only work out that way
Nobody's perfect baby
And I'll always love you anyway
Oh, Gabrielle
The sun is shinning in your eyes
Oh, Gabrielle
I didn't mean to make you cry
Oh, my sweet baby doll
I put you above everything
Oh, Gabrielle
I love you til the day I die
Gabrielle
Gabrielle
Well Gabrielle
You know I love you baby
Do nothing to hurt you baby
But you know I got to love you anyway
Oh, Gabrielle, you're so nice
You know I, I love you baby
Oh, my my my my my my my
Oh, Gabrielle
The sun is shinning in your eyes
Oh, Gabrielle
I didn't mean to make you cry
Oh, my sweet baby doll
I put you above everything
Oh, Gabrielle
I love you til the day I die
Gabrielle
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Fast Car
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Magical
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Blue
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this guys a total dick but he cant do anything about it so he tries his best to let her know shes loved. "And nobody's perfect baby And I'll always love you anyway" funniest lines ever haha