"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.
Storm clouds hanging over head
Offer not the slightest bit of comfort
For the first time in days
I wait to discover
Disasters that I've slept through
While I felt so alive
So we say goodbye
So we say goodbye
Heartstrings severed just as quick
As they were discovered
So we say goodbye
So we say goodbye
I'll break my own fall to keep you picture perfect
Just don't wake me up now
so say goodbye
Close your eyes for the last time
Questioning everything that went wrong
the silence she whispers to me
Telling me things we dare to speak out loud
The collaboration of the blinding sun
Through vacant streets hits home hard
Like a hatchet to the skull
I'd keep you here if you kept me warm
And these winters away
Your hands were the only hands needed to hold me
For the first time in days
I feel alive
in the end we will both rot together
In the end we rot toegether
Our love lies in embers
say goodbye
Close your eyes for the last time
Questioning everything that went wrong
peering out of those same cracked windows
That I studied for day upon days
Suddenly collapse
It all falls down
say goodbye
Close your eyes for the last time
Questioning everything that went wrong
Offer not the slightest bit of comfort
For the first time in days
I wait to discover
Disasters that I've slept through
While I felt so alive
So we say goodbye
So we say goodbye
Heartstrings severed just as quick
As they were discovered
So we say goodbye
So we say goodbye
I'll break my own fall to keep you picture perfect
Just don't wake me up now
so say goodbye
Close your eyes for the last time
Questioning everything that went wrong
the silence she whispers to me
Telling me things we dare to speak out loud
The collaboration of the blinding sun
Through vacant streets hits home hard
Like a hatchet to the skull
I'd keep you here if you kept me warm
And these winters away
Your hands were the only hands needed to hold me
For the first time in days
I feel alive
in the end we will both rot together
In the end we rot toegether
Our love lies in embers
say goodbye
Close your eyes for the last time
Questioning everything that went wrong
peering out of those same cracked windows
That I studied for day upon days
Suddenly collapse
It all falls down
say goodbye
Close your eyes for the last time
Questioning everything that went wrong
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Storm clouds hanging over head. Offer not the slightest bit of comfort for the first time in days. I wait to discover disasters that I've slept though while I felt so alive. So we say goodbye, so we say goodbye. Heartstrings severed just as quick as they were discovered. So we say goodbye, so we say goodbye. I'll break my own fall, to keep you picture perfect. Just don't wake me up now.. So say goodbye, close your eyes for the last time, questioning everything that went wrong.. The silence she whispers to me, telling me things we dare to speak out loud. The collaboration of the blinding sun through vacant streets hits home hard, like a hatchet to the skull. I'd keep you here if it kept me warm and these winters away. Your hands were the only hands needed to hold me. For the first time in days.. I feel alive. In the end we'll both rot together. In the end we'll rot together, our love lies in embers So say goodbye, close your eyes for the last time, questioning everything that went wrong.. Peering out of those same cracked windows. That I studied, for days upon days.. Suddenly collapse.. It all falls down. So say goodbye, close your eyes for the last time, questioning everything that went wrong..