"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.
Langsam rinnt mein Leben
Wie der Sand durch meine Hände
Umsonst scheint all mein Streben
Verloren in der Ewigkeit
Doch nur weil ich meinen Traum
Zu oft in fremde Hände legte
Doch ändern kann ich es kaum
Denn jetzt ist es zu spät
Was hält mich noch hier
An diesem Ort der Dunkelheit?
Nur das Licht das deine Liebe
Mir scheinen läßt in Ewigkeit
Mein Schicksal welches fremdbestimmt
Verflüchtigt sich, und langsam weiter
Es ohne Halt zu Boden rinnt
Um dort unterzugehen
Nur ein Ziel das ich erreicht
Rechtfertigt all, das was geschehen
Die Liebe die nichts andrem gleicht
Hilft mir hier zu bestehen
Wie der Sand durch meine Hände
Umsonst scheint all mein Streben
Verloren in der Ewigkeit
Doch nur weil ich meinen Traum
Zu oft in fremde Hände legte
Doch ändern kann ich es kaum
Denn jetzt ist es zu spät
Was hält mich noch hier
An diesem Ort der Dunkelheit?
Nur das Licht das deine Liebe
Mir scheinen läßt in Ewigkeit
Mein Schicksal welches fremdbestimmt
Verflüchtigt sich, und langsam weiter
Es ohne Halt zu Boden rinnt
Um dort unterzugehen
Nur ein Ziel das ich erreicht
Rechtfertigt all, das was geschehen
Die Liebe die nichts andrem gleicht
Hilft mir hier zu bestehen
Lyrics submitted by seasons of grey
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What Keeps Me Here?
Slowly my life trickles Like sand through my hands All my efforts are wasted Lost in eternity
All because I leave my dream In stranger's hands too often But I can't ever change that For now it is too late
What keeps me here in this place of darkness? Only the light of your love shines on me eternally
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Only a goal that I achieved Will rectify all that's occured That love that's like nothing else Helps me to stay here