"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.
Watford town has gone and fucking let us down
We don't know the cunts who fucked us at the show
Our shit is gone and it ain't coming back
Five good men go broke while the rats get fat
We don't care if you're a boxer
Or if you're dads a heavyweight
We don't even fucking measure up
But we'll fight you if that's what it will take
Someone said a grand don't come for free
Apparently it does when you're a fucking thief
Back to square one
But we won't fucking come undone
And now we're on the prowl
This pack of wolves will hunt you down
Someone said a grand don't come for free
I heard different at the sports academy
Don't think this time that you got away
Like every dog you'll have your fucking day
Seconds out round two
We'll set the wolf pack loose on you
We don't know the cunts who fucked us at the show
Our shit is gone and it ain't coming back
Five good men go broke while the rats get fat
We don't care if you're a boxer
Or if you're dads a heavyweight
We don't even fucking measure up
But we'll fight you if that's what it will take
Someone said a grand don't come for free
Apparently it does when you're a fucking thief
Back to square one
But we won't fucking come undone
And now we're on the prowl
This pack of wolves will hunt you down
Someone said a grand don't come for free
I heard different at the sports academy
Don't think this time that you got away
Like every dog you'll have your fucking day
Seconds out round two
We'll set the wolf pack loose on you
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Amazing song. they played it when I saw them. They put on the best live show. Better than any other damn band