"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.
this world's not right
its a losing fight
and this music's not what you want
its a business now
theres in's and out's
and the life you had
you'll lose somehow
you know you had, once a jest
anything that hasnt passed the test by 1996
yeah thats not part of it
you keep it to yourself
and no one knows the deal
but you're not alone
thats just a show
and gold in a cross
some spoken thoughts
they rust alot
the life we had
thats over now
yeah thats not part of it
you know you had, once a jest
anything that hasnt passed the test by 1996
its a losing fight
and this music's not what you want
its a business now
theres in's and out's
and the life you had
you'll lose somehow
you know you had, once a jest
anything that hasnt passed the test by 1996
yeah thats not part of it
you keep it to yourself
and no one knows the deal
but you're not alone
thats just a show
and gold in a cross
some spoken thoughts
they rust alot
the life we had
thats over now
yeah thats not part of it
you know you had, once a jest
anything that hasnt passed the test by 1996
Lyrics submitted by bobby the dolt
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Fast Car
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About the industry and how it's not exactly all about the music a lot of the time. They once found some humor in anything that didn't make it past 1996 in terms of popularity and all that maybe. Beautiful song.
my thoughts exactly ^, such a good song. i especially enjoy the junior boys remix