"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 visits the place that the tour groups must have
She's shocked to find somebody there
With a sun-beaten face, and a silver-grey head
He knelt on the floor unaware
He said "I'm sorry madam" as he lent her his hand
"I know I must be a strange sight
But I've been coming here for some thirty odd years
Ever since my sweet lady died
But I sure am glad you listened
Oh, I sure am glad you came
I've been waiting here in this mission
Ever since that day"
Oh, that summer we met, only fools could forget
Just how perfect a woman could be
By the time she was late, we had both set a date
In a place where she would marry me
But a gringo meant shame to their proud family name
And her father forbade it to be
So in less than a week, they found her by the creek
And the parents blamed it all on me
But I sure am glad you listened
And I sure am glad you came
I've been waiting here in this mission
Ever since that day
Well, her name was Marie
And the day she met me
Was the worst day of both of our lives
If it wasn't for me, I would truly believe
My sweetheart could still be alive
She said "Darling, believe. Don't you recognize me?
Though you waited here all of this time
They had shipped me away to my family in Spain
We can get on with our lives
Yeah, we still have plenty of time
'Cause I sure am glad I listened
Oh, I sure am glad I came
I made looking for you my mission
Ever since that day
Oh, I sure am glad you listened
Oh, I sure am glad you came
I've been waiting here in this mission
Ever since that day
And I sure am glad you listened
Oh, I sure am glad you came
I've been waiting here in this mission
Ever since that day
"May God bless you, have a good day"
She's shocked to find somebody there
With a sun-beaten face, and a silver-grey head
He knelt on the floor unaware
He said "I'm sorry madam" as he lent her his hand
"I know I must be a strange sight
But I've been coming here for some thirty odd years
Ever since my sweet lady died
But I sure am glad you listened
Oh, I sure am glad you came
I've been waiting here in this mission
Ever since that day"
Oh, that summer we met, only fools could forget
Just how perfect a woman could be
By the time she was late, we had both set a date
In a place where she would marry me
But a gringo meant shame to their proud family name
And her father forbade it to be
So in less than a week, they found her by the creek
And the parents blamed it all on me
But I sure am glad you listened
And I sure am glad you came
I've been waiting here in this mission
Ever since that day
Well, her name was Marie
And the day she met me
Was the worst day of both of our lives
If it wasn't for me, I would truly believe
My sweetheart could still be alive
She said "Darling, believe. Don't you recognize me?
Though you waited here all of this time
They had shipped me away to my family in Spain
We can get on with our lives
Yeah, we still have plenty of time
'Cause I sure am glad I listened
Oh, I sure am glad I came
I made looking for you my mission
Ever since that day
Oh, I sure am glad you listened
Oh, I sure am glad you came
I've been waiting here in this mission
Ever since that day
And I sure am glad you listened
Oh, I sure am glad you came
I've been waiting here in this mission
Ever since that day
"May God bless you, have a good day"
Lyrics submitted by foolish-hippie
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seems to me he thought she was dead but actually her family sent her to Spain so they couldn't get married ("but a gringo brought shame to their proud family name... They had shipped me away to my family in Spain") but she made her way back and they are reunited ("She said "Darling, believe. Don't you recognize me?... we can get on with our lives, we still have plenty of time")