"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'm out on a bender
Drink too much I might get you
You're out on a bender too
Sleep through the morning
Sheets of mine invite me
You sleep through the morning too
And it's only right
You should stay the night
Or stay a month or two
But Helena won't get stoned
Helena won't get stoned
I think it's part of her Catholic education
Helena won't get stoned
For good measure these chains
I wear they chafe me
Just for pleasure sure
Our Lady of the Rockies
Sweet virgin bliss surround me
Sportin' walkie talkies, yeah
You got your ears on baby
My soft old lady
Leave your past behind
But Helena won't get stoned
Helena won't get stoned
I think it's part of her Catholic education
Helena won't get stoned
And it's only right
You should stay the night
Or stay a month or two
But Helena won't get stoned
Helena won't get stoned
I think it's part of her Catholic education
Helena won't get stoned
Drink too much I might get you
You're out on a bender too
Sleep through the morning
Sheets of mine invite me
You sleep through the morning too
And it's only right
You should stay the night
Or stay a month or two
But Helena won't get stoned
Helena won't get stoned
I think it's part of her Catholic education
Helena won't get stoned
For good measure these chains
I wear they chafe me
Just for pleasure sure
Our Lady of the Rockies
Sweet virgin bliss surround me
Sportin' walkie talkies, yeah
You got your ears on baby
My soft old lady
Leave your past behind
But Helena won't get stoned
Helena won't get stoned
I think it's part of her Catholic education
Helena won't get stoned
And it's only right
You should stay the night
Or stay a month or two
But Helena won't get stoned
Helena won't get stoned
I think it's part of her Catholic education
Helena won't get stoned
Lyrics submitted by coldengrey
Helena Won't Get Stoned Lyrics as written by Colin Meloy
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think it's interesting that Colin seems to switch back and forth between the style that he uses now, the english major sort of things, and the more party song style that he had with Tarkio. The difference is really evident in this song.
"Our Lady of the Rockies Sweet virgin bliss surround me"
and the drinking and getting stoned parts
Except that most of Tarkio's stuff isn't like this....:O
Helena seems to be a woman in this song, but Helena, Montana is Colin Meloy's hometown, so it's a metaphor. Maybe a comment on the contradiction of drinking too much being okay, but smoking weed being too "out there" for straitlaced, Catholic Helenans.
Our Lady of the Rockies is a large statue of Mary overlooking Butte, Montana. (Talk about a hard-drinking town.)