"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.
Ow, tossing and turning the whole night long
My girl is gone, can't take it
I'm trying to conceal the loneliness I feel
But it's real, can't fake it
The pain in my heart is tearing me apart
Her memory, can't shake it
I tried to tell myself to find somebody else
But my heart, won't make it
Ah ah, I need love and that's a natural fact
And more than anything I want my baby back
(I want my baby back) I want her here with me
(I want my baby back)
She's the only girl that brightens up my world
What can I say, don't make her do it
She's fine as can be and was so good to me
I had a good thing, and I blew it
Now I'm all alone, the love we had is gone
What can I do,to renew it?
If I only had a chance to continue our romance
I wouldn't hesitate, to get to it
I need love and that's natural fact
And more than anything I want my sugar back
(I want my baby back) I want her here with me
(I want my baby back) Ah ah ah, ah ah yeah
(I want my baby back)
I need love and that's a natural fact
And more than anything I want my baby back
(I want my baby back) I want her here with me
(I want my baby back)
I, want my baby back
My heart is aching, think it's breaking
I want my baby back
My world is lonely, need her only
Everybody sing I want my baby back now
(I want my baby back)
Ha ha ha, ha ha I, want my baby back
My heart is sad
My girl is gone, can't take it
I'm trying to conceal the loneliness I feel
But it's real, can't fake it
The pain in my heart is tearing me apart
Her memory, can't shake it
I tried to tell myself to find somebody else
But my heart, won't make it
Ah ah, I need love and that's a natural fact
And more than anything I want my baby back
(I want my baby back) I want her here with me
(I want my baby back)
She's the only girl that brightens up my world
What can I say, don't make her do it
She's fine as can be and was so good to me
I had a good thing, and I blew it
Now I'm all alone, the love we had is gone
What can I do,to renew it?
If I only had a chance to continue our romance
I wouldn't hesitate, to get to it
I need love and that's natural fact
And more than anything I want my sugar back
(I want my baby back) I want her here with me
(I want my baby back) Ah ah ah, ah ah yeah
(I want my baby back)
I need love and that's a natural fact
And more than anything I want my baby back
(I want my baby back) I want her here with me
(I want my baby back)
I, want my baby back
My heart is aching, think it's breaking
I want my baby back
My world is lonely, need her only
Everybody sing I want my baby back now
(I want my baby back)
Ha ha ha, ha ha I, want my baby back
My heart is sad
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