"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.
She's never stared too long at distant lights
She always kept the ones here close and bright
She met me in the darkness, reached out for my hand and said goodnight
She's constant like the ringing in my ears
She's drowning out the silence of my fears
I've looked for her reflection in all the pretty girls throughout the years
She's staring at the shadows dancing on the wall
She's the New York City skyline, bound to catch the heavens if they fall
She never signed her paintings with a name
She surrendered "I love you's" with bitter shame
She echoed in the season and filled me with a sweet Italian rain
She's burning like the fires of the sun
She's Friday night when Sunday's almost done
She's fireflies and splinters long after the winter has begun
I see her wrapping ribbons somewhere down the hall
She's a million simple answers waiting for your midnight drunken call
She's the memory of something you can feel
She's hidden in the world that she conceals
She strengthened every weakness, beating in a heart you cannot steal
She never shows the color of her eyes
She's far away but closer than the sky
I'm waiting in her footsteps
If she is not the truth, I'll take the lie
She's a watercolor window far across the sea
She's a burning neon spotlight, shining on the things I cannot leave
She never turns the light out for the moon
She always shows up late when I'm too soon
She's the harmony and whisper singing along with all my sappy tunes
She's all the reasons why you run away
She's all the reasons why you wanna stay
Her tangled heart of mystery is gonna bleed for someone else someday
I see her in the bedroom, sleeping next to me
She's enough grace and wisdom to set the whole world free
She's staring at the shadows dancing on the wall
She's the New York City skyline, bound to catch the heavens if they fall
She always kept the ones here close and bright
She met me in the darkness, reached out for my hand and said goodnight
She's constant like the ringing in my ears
She's drowning out the silence of my fears
I've looked for her reflection in all the pretty girls throughout the years
She's staring at the shadows dancing on the wall
She's the New York City skyline, bound to catch the heavens if they fall
She never signed her paintings with a name
She surrendered "I love you's" with bitter shame
She echoed in the season and filled me with a sweet Italian rain
She's burning like the fires of the sun
She's Friday night when Sunday's almost done
She's fireflies and splinters long after the winter has begun
I see her wrapping ribbons somewhere down the hall
She's a million simple answers waiting for your midnight drunken call
She's the memory of something you can feel
She's hidden in the world that she conceals
She strengthened every weakness, beating in a heart you cannot steal
She never shows the color of her eyes
She's far away but closer than the sky
I'm waiting in her footsteps
If she is not the truth, I'll take the lie
She's a watercolor window far across the sea
She's a burning neon spotlight, shining on the things I cannot leave
She never turns the light out for the moon
She always shows up late when I'm too soon
She's the harmony and whisper singing along with all my sappy tunes
She's all the reasons why you run away
She's all the reasons why you wanna stay
Her tangled heart of mystery is gonna bleed for someone else someday
I see her in the bedroom, sleeping next to me
She's enough grace and wisdom to set the whole world free
She's staring at the shadows dancing on the wall
She's the New York City skyline, bound to catch the heavens if they fall
Lyrics submitted by smileforthecamera
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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How in the hell has NO ONE commented on this song?
This song is so painfully beautiful. It's so sincere, yet so unbelievably simple.
I could only hope that someone would think so highly of me...