"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.
Drinking with Nick Drake is such a chore
he’s always got to sit closest to the door
and when it comes that it’s his round
empty pockets staring at the ground
Drinking with Nick Drake it ain’t much fun
he yells if the shades don’t hide the sun
he says "if you want me to sing for you
look the other way is what you gotta do"
I know he’s a genius and all that stuff
but I think enough is enough
Tired of dragging his limey ass around
with the same ghouls stepping in the same ground
Drinking with Nick Drake I do it still
I said I’d stop but I never will
never sure what he’s going on about
but maybe someday he’ll scream and shout
"you want a piece of me here I am
I’ll take you all at once I don’t give a damn.
I’m 6 foot 3 and handsome as well
ain’t no place for me this hell"
Oh Nicky boy be glad you’re dead
alive and they’d ignore you instead
say "there’s a guy we don’t understand
to hell with him lets go see a band..
a real rock and roll band like Jethro Tull or something.."
Drinking with Nick Drake I do it still
I said I’d stop but I never will
Hit the road in his bug and then we pray
to chase that black eyed dog away
he’s always got to sit closest to the door
and when it comes that it’s his round
empty pockets staring at the ground
Drinking with Nick Drake it ain’t much fun
he yells if the shades don’t hide the sun
he says "if you want me to sing for you
look the other way is what you gotta do"
I know he’s a genius and all that stuff
but I think enough is enough
Tired of dragging his limey ass around
with the same ghouls stepping in the same ground
Drinking with Nick Drake I do it still
I said I’d stop but I never will
never sure what he’s going on about
but maybe someday he’ll scream and shout
"you want a piece of me here I am
I’ll take you all at once I don’t give a damn.
I’m 6 foot 3 and handsome as well
ain’t no place for me this hell"
Oh Nicky boy be glad you’re dead
alive and they’d ignore you instead
say "there’s a guy we don’t understand
to hell with him lets go see a band..
a real rock and roll band like Jethro Tull or something.."
Drinking with Nick Drake I do it still
I said I’d stop but I never will
Hit the road in his bug and then we pray
to chase that black eyed dog away
Lyrics submitted by azkm
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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