"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.
Three hundred butterflies they wrapped them in her ribs
and now she cuts across the interstate the world will choke on traffic.
Me and cannonballs looking at the moon
who’s peeking over the edge like no good kids with water balloons.
I wanna swallow the wind let it hollow me thin and
call a friend who’s laughing like a, laughing like a criminal.
She watches fireworks, launching and sparkling, spinning
and twenty kids live like giants making yearbook material
(Step by step by misstep oops I found myself in someone else’s shoes) 4X
Nothing more heartbreaking than a car that’s been stationed since… well long enough to let the grass grow up around its feet, 2X
Later I’ll kiss the smile off your face and toss this shape into the Rio Grande.
I could follow it along the riverbank to reach the beach
and we could roll around in the sand.
I wanna break the bank and crush the glasses, chase the tape, combat molasses.
Face to face I punch the mattress: awake escape and trace the atlas
they case the place and ban the back flips. Leave the flashes to the books of matches.
Today’s the day, today’s the day they catch us; today’s the day, today’s the day we turn it backwards;
Today is the day amazing things happen.
Pass the buck, I’ve got a head full of handshakes. Dig a little deeper ‘til the hole runs dry as the light from the television flickers on the table and the angel on my shoulder rubs the sleep from his eyes. 4X
(Nothing more heartbreaking than a car that’s been stationed since… well long enough to let the grass grow up around its feet. 4X)
(We’re looking in, I’d never lie, that face is pressed against the glass and now you’ve turned to grey.)
I wanna Jump a million miles and look back at the lights, I wanna run so fast they get left behind 4X
Teeth bared broken noses twisted fingers swollen toes and I could do with another drink, I could do with another drink 2X
(I wanna Jump a million miles and look back at the lights, I wanna run so fast they get left behind 16X)
Nothing more heartbreaking than a car that’s been stationed since… well long enough to, long enough to let the grass grow up around its feet. 4X
and now she cuts across the interstate the world will choke on traffic.
Me and cannonballs looking at the moon
who’s peeking over the edge like no good kids with water balloons.
I wanna swallow the wind let it hollow me thin and
call a friend who’s laughing like a, laughing like a criminal.
She watches fireworks, launching and sparkling, spinning
and twenty kids live like giants making yearbook material
(Step by step by misstep oops I found myself in someone else’s shoes) 4X
Nothing more heartbreaking than a car that’s been stationed since… well long enough to let the grass grow up around its feet, 2X
Later I’ll kiss the smile off your face and toss this shape into the Rio Grande.
I could follow it along the riverbank to reach the beach
and we could roll around in the sand.
I wanna break the bank and crush the glasses, chase the tape, combat molasses.
Face to face I punch the mattress: awake escape and trace the atlas
they case the place and ban the back flips. Leave the flashes to the books of matches.
Today’s the day, today’s the day they catch us; today’s the day, today’s the day we turn it backwards;
Today is the day amazing things happen.
Pass the buck, I’ve got a head full of handshakes. Dig a little deeper ‘til the hole runs dry as the light from the television flickers on the table and the angel on my shoulder rubs the sleep from his eyes. 4X
(Nothing more heartbreaking than a car that’s been stationed since… well long enough to let the grass grow up around its feet. 4X)
(We’re looking in, I’d never lie, that face is pressed against the glass and now you’ve turned to grey.)
I wanna Jump a million miles and look back at the lights, I wanna run so fast they get left behind 4X
Teeth bared broken noses twisted fingers swollen toes and I could do with another drink, I could do with another drink 2X
(I wanna Jump a million miles and look back at the lights, I wanna run so fast they get left behind 16X)
Nothing more heartbreaking than a car that’s been stationed since… well long enough to, long enough to let the grass grow up around its feet. 4X
Lyrics submitted by Thanasimos
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Fast Car
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I think that should be: "We're looking in on a better life, with our faces pressed against the glass - and now you've turned away."