"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.
Have you ever wondered
If it smarts when you've hurt and ignored
Oh, the sort that goes away
Even though I waited for you
Oh, how I adore you
You never saw my face
I traced your path each day
We could be always together
Now I watch you bleed
You had all I need
How I love you so
Now we'll never know
If I can't have you
I even did the research
Went to work, learned to flirt
Wore a skirt and faced dirt
And, ah, still you didn't notice
You never focused on me
You never saw my face
I traced your path each day
You never lifted your eyes to me, ah
Now I watch you bleed
You had all I need
How I love you so
Now we'll never know
If I can't have you
If I can't have you
If I can't have you
If I can't have you
If it smarts when you've hurt and ignored
Oh, the sort that goes away
Even though I waited for you
Oh, how I adore you
You never saw my face
I traced your path each day
We could be always together
Now I watch you bleed
You had all I need
How I love you so
Now we'll never know
If I can't have you
I even did the research
Went to work, learned to flirt
Wore a skirt and faced dirt
And, ah, still you didn't notice
You never focused on me
You never saw my face
I traced your path each day
You never lifted your eyes to me, ah
Now I watch you bleed
You had all I need
How I love you so
Now we'll never know
If I can't have you
If I can't have you
If I can't have you
If I can't have you
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Hmm, I think it's a bit darker than just having someone you like die, I reckon the girl in the song has finally snapped and killed the guy she's singing about. The title kinda suggests that if she can't have him, then no one else will which is why she's watching him bleed. Great song though!
I think this song could either be about a person having someone they liked from afar dying, or just liking someone and wanting to catch their eye but knowing that they don't like you back. My favourite verse is one i can relate to: 'I even did the research went to work, learned to flirt wore a skirt and faced dirt and, ah, still you didn't notice you never focused on me'
This song tell us the pain and grief of a non-loved women who now enjoys seeing the love of her life suffering, just like the way she has suffered for him. It's a great love song...
I think the first verse is:
"Have you ever wondered If it smarts when your heart is ignored"
Also the part: "I even did the research Went to work, learned to flirt Wore a skirt and faced dirt And, ah, still you didn't notice"
I think theres an extra line:
"I even did the research Went to work, learned to flirt Wore a skirt and faced dirt And it hurt still you didn't notice"
She didn't want it to have to be this way, but she couldn't let go. She tried so hard, even getting a job at the same place as them, but they still didn't notice her. It hurt - she couldn't let go. They had to die.