"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.
We're standing
We're standing
You call that gone?
I'm standing on the firmest ground ever invented
Firm ground I invented
You're building
Your building
The big door is closing
Came home from work and your house was missing
Told ourselves but we weren't listening
Do you remember the one who took 'Place in the Sun' from you?
I know you do
He had a heart of tin
And this amazing desire!
The face of a sphinx that smiled
Spit in the lock you'll find the knob will turn for you
In that golden hotel we can live in the hallway
All of the bedrooms fold into the Perfect Chair
Did you fall in love with someone?
Did you trade "out all night" for some strange sun?
Weren't you the one...
Fall back in love with someone?
Did you fall in line for someone?
Back down the same road that you came here from
Weren't you the one
That told me not to
Move around but never through?
That's the only thing you ever do
You're building
Your building
The big door is still closing
Came home from work and your house was missing
Told ourselves but we were never listening
Spit in the lock you'll find the knob will turn for you
In that golden hotel I'm gonna live in the hallway
All of the bedrooms fold into the Perfect Chair
Out on the wall
A hand had begun writing
Everybody understood
That it didn't mean a thing
I'll pay it back
I will pay it all back to you
You only have to ask me to
Did you fall in love with someone?
Did you "give up on that" for some strange sun?
Weren't you the one...
Fall back in love with someone?
Did you fall in line for someone?
Back down the same road that you came here from
Weren't you the one
That told me not to
Move around but never through?
That's the only thing we ever do
We're standing
You call that gone?
I'm standing on the firmest ground ever invented
Firm ground I invented
You're building
Your building
The big door is closing
Came home from work and your house was missing
Told ourselves but we weren't listening
Do you remember the one who took 'Place in the Sun' from you?
I know you do
He had a heart of tin
And this amazing desire!
The face of a sphinx that smiled
Spit in the lock you'll find the knob will turn for you
In that golden hotel we can live in the hallway
All of the bedrooms fold into the Perfect Chair
Did you fall in love with someone?
Did you trade "out all night" for some strange sun?
Weren't you the one...
Fall back in love with someone?
Did you fall in line for someone?
Back down the same road that you came here from
Weren't you the one
That told me not to
Move around but never through?
That's the only thing you ever do
You're building
Your building
The big door is still closing
Came home from work and your house was missing
Told ourselves but we were never listening
Spit in the lock you'll find the knob will turn for you
In that golden hotel I'm gonna live in the hallway
All of the bedrooms fold into the Perfect Chair
Out on the wall
A hand had begun writing
Everybody understood
That it didn't mean a thing
I'll pay it back
I will pay it all back to you
You only have to ask me to
Did you fall in love with someone?
Did you "give up on that" for some strange sun?
Weren't you the one...
Fall back in love with someone?
Did you fall in line for someone?
Back down the same road that you came here from
Weren't you the one
That told me not to
Move around but never through?
That's the only thing we ever do
Lyrics submitted by mrgtvllk
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Fast Car
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The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
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When We Were Young
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I can soooo relate to this one ... it is one of my fav tracks ever ... I guess the main idea is "caring is creepy" (like in he had a heart of "tin " or spit in the knob ... ) ... Well that's how I see it .. pretty much matches how I feel now (and quite often) .... almost feels too personal to be put on the net :P It's such a pity that they were always soooo underrated .... RIP sound team !!!!!!