"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.
Reaching out, looking for som way to escape the crowd
You whispered words that I've been searching for
Somehow you answered my call
Reaching out I feel I'm rising up
[Chorus]
You give me (grace)
In a world that doesn't sleep at all
You give me (grace)
It's a place I've never been before
You give me (grace)
And in all of the confusion you're the peace in my soul
That's why I will never really be alone
Suddenly, I'm up on the surface now where I can see
And picture the person who I need to be
And I know, yes I know I can make it
See me now, I'm slowly rising up
[Chorus]
Well yeah, these are difficult times
These are difficult days
But I know we can face it
Ours are different lives
In a difficult place
Oh you give me grace to say when I got wrong
The grace and the will to carry on
Reaching out I feel I'm rising up
[Chorus: x 2]
You whispered words that I've been searching for
Somehow you answered my call
Reaching out I feel I'm rising up
[Chorus]
You give me (grace)
In a world that doesn't sleep at all
You give me (grace)
It's a place I've never been before
You give me (grace)
And in all of the confusion you're the peace in my soul
That's why I will never really be alone
Suddenly, I'm up on the surface now where I can see
And picture the person who I need to be
And I know, yes I know I can make it
See me now, I'm slowly rising up
[Chorus]
Well yeah, these are difficult times
These are difficult days
But I know we can face it
Ours are different lives
In a difficult place
Oh you give me grace to say when I got wrong
The grace and the will to carry on
Reaching out I feel I'm rising up
[Chorus: x 2]
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