"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 wake up at the end of a long, dark, lonely year
It's bringing out the worst in me
I hear your voice start breaking in fear
When the lights go down
And I still feel you looking over my shoulder
Your sinking guilt and approaching nightmare
And I know none of us will survive
Because I know everything
Alright
And my dear I need you to move a little faster
This second counts as the rest of your life
Your final word and an itchy finger
And then it's taken away
And we'll be beaten down without mercy or meaning
I turn my face to a careless skyline
I'm searching hard for a sign from heaven
But they've forgotten me here
You can just stop talking, I get it
I hear your silence loud and clear
I know it's barely a thought but it'll see us through
I'm only setting you free so just let it happen
Just let it happen, no need to fear
Yeah you can just stop talking, I get it
Sex, fuck, and fluorescent lighting
A hollow point on an angry bullet
We're on the teeth of a crocodile
We're in the mouth of the gun
And sometimes at night I feel I'm just a broken vessel
An instrument with a darker purpose
I'm at the throat of the young and the helpless
Because they've got nothing to say
So you can just stop talking, I get it
I hear your silence loud and clear
I know it's barely a thought but it'll see us through
I'm only setting you free so just let it happen
Just let it happen, no need to fear
Yeah you can just stop talking, I get it
It's bringing out the worst in me
I hear your voice start breaking in fear
When the lights go down
And I still feel you looking over my shoulder
Your sinking guilt and approaching nightmare
And I know none of us will survive
Because I know everything
Alright
And my dear I need you to move a little faster
This second counts as the rest of your life
Your final word and an itchy finger
And then it's taken away
And we'll be beaten down without mercy or meaning
I turn my face to a careless skyline
I'm searching hard for a sign from heaven
But they've forgotten me here
You can just stop talking, I get it
I hear your silence loud and clear
I know it's barely a thought but it'll see us through
I'm only setting you free so just let it happen
Just let it happen, no need to fear
Yeah you can just stop talking, I get it
Sex, fuck, and fluorescent lighting
A hollow point on an angry bullet
We're on the teeth of a crocodile
We're in the mouth of the gun
And sometimes at night I feel I'm just a broken vessel
An instrument with a darker purpose
I'm at the throat of the young and the helpless
Because they've got nothing to say
So you can just stop talking, I get it
I hear your silence loud and clear
I know it's barely a thought but it'll see us through
I'm only setting you free so just let it happen
Just let it happen, no need to fear
Yeah you can just stop talking, I get it
Lyrics submitted by frozenphoenix32, edited by Mellow_Harsher
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Fast Car
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I've been waiting since forever for Plus 44 to release a new song but it was worth it because this song is... GREAT!