"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.
There was a man that knew too much
With a panic attack mind but a chance to numb
His golden touch to ignore the will of time
Had me struck down, open to the fact
I was standing in a line with a broken occupation on my back
[Chorus]
Time is not a moment we're letting slip away
There's nothing left to say; it's changing every day
The way I'm thinking - in different shades of gray
It's not enough to say that this is my love
He had the anti-midas touch
Temporary state of mind
But a chance to die enhances growth
Now I'm trembling all the time
Stumble 'round, making faces on the scene
Scene what, what
Stumble 'round, make your faces on your own
[Chorus]
I'm not your mocking bird
That sings your cellar song
She got a paper run
You're compensated
Can we all gather round on the scene?
Can we all move around on our own?
Are ya a mover, shaker all alone?
[Chorus]
Time is not a moment we're letting slip away
There's nothing left to say but this is my love
I'm not your mocking bird
That sings your cellar song
She got a paper run to write your letters wrong
With a panic attack mind but a chance to numb
His golden touch to ignore the will of time
Had me struck down, open to the fact
I was standing in a line with a broken occupation on my back
[Chorus]
Time is not a moment we're letting slip away
There's nothing left to say; it's changing every day
The way I'm thinking - in different shades of gray
It's not enough to say that this is my love
He had the anti-midas touch
Temporary state of mind
But a chance to die enhances growth
Now I'm trembling all the time
Stumble 'round, making faces on the scene
Scene what, what
Stumble 'round, make your faces on your own
[Chorus]
I'm not your mocking bird
That sings your cellar song
She got a paper run
You're compensated
Can we all gather round on the scene?
Can we all move around on our own?
Are ya a mover, shaker all alone?
[Chorus]
Time is not a moment we're letting slip away
There's nothing left to say but this is my love
I'm not your mocking bird
That sings your cellar song
She got a paper run to write your letters wrong
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ah how awesome is this song?
i miss the post-grunge days though. those were THE days. I was four when he was fifteen but WHATEVER. frogstomp and freak show live on in my mind. it'll never leave. it was australia's phenomenon, silverchair.