"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.
Believe me when I tell you
I will try to understand
Believe me when I tell you
I could never kill a man
But to know that another man's holding you tight
Hurts me, little darling
Thru the morning thru the night
The bond has been broken
The promise you gave
The words that were spoken
I can not be your slave
But to know that the trust you had in me is gone
Hurts me, little darling
Through the nighttime through the dawn
I dreamed just last night you were there by my side
Your sweet loving tenderness
Easing my pride
But then I awoke and found you not there
It was just my old memory of how much I care
Believe me when I tell you
I will try to understand
Believe me when I tell you
I could never kill a man
But to know that another man's holding you tight
Hurts me little, darling
Through the morning through the night
I will try to understand
Believe me when I tell you
I could never kill a man
But to know that another man's holding you tight
Hurts me, little darling
Thru the morning thru the night
The bond has been broken
The promise you gave
The words that were spoken
I can not be your slave
But to know that the trust you had in me is gone
Hurts me, little darling
Through the nighttime through the dawn
I dreamed just last night you were there by my side
Your sweet loving tenderness
Easing my pride
But then I awoke and found you not there
It was just my old memory of how much I care
Believe me when I tell you
I will try to understand
Believe me when I tell you
I could never kill a man
But to know that another man's holding you tight
Hurts me little, darling
Through the morning through the night
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Ebba Grön
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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Page
Ed Sheeran
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