"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.
If you see something that looks like a star
And it's shooting up out of the ground
And your head is spinning from a loud guitar
And you just can't escape from the sound
Don't worry too much, it'll happen to you
We were children once, playing with toys
And the thing that you're hearing is only the sound
Of the low spark of high-heeled boys
The percentage you're paying is too high priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams
But today you just read that the man was shot dead
By a gun that didn't make any noise
But it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest
Was the low spark of high-heeled boys
If you had just a minute to breathe
And they granted you one final wish
Would you ask for something like another chance?
Or something similar as this?
Don't worry too much, it'll happen to you
As sure as your sorrows are joys
And the thing that disturbs you is only the sound
Of the low spark of high-heeled boys
The percentage you're paying is too high priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams
But today you just read that the man was shot dead
By a gun that didn't make any noise
But it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest
Was the low spark of high-heeled boys
High-heeled boys
If I gave you everything that I owned
And asked for nothing in return
Would you do the same for me as I would for you?
Or take me for a ride
And strip me of everything including my pride
But spirit is something that no one destroys
And the sound that I'm hearing is only the sound
Of the low spark of high-heeled boys
Heeled boys
Ooh, ooh, ooh
And it's shooting up out of the ground
And your head is spinning from a loud guitar
And you just can't escape from the sound
Don't worry too much, it'll happen to you
We were children once, playing with toys
And the thing that you're hearing is only the sound
Of the low spark of high-heeled boys
The percentage you're paying is too high priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams
But today you just read that the man was shot dead
By a gun that didn't make any noise
But it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest
Was the low spark of high-heeled boys
If you had just a minute to breathe
And they granted you one final wish
Would you ask for something like another chance?
Or something similar as this?
Don't worry too much, it'll happen to you
As sure as your sorrows are joys
And the thing that disturbs you is only the sound
Of the low spark of high-heeled boys
The percentage you're paying is too high priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams
But today you just read that the man was shot dead
By a gun that didn't make any noise
But it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest
Was the low spark of high-heeled boys
High-heeled boys
If I gave you everything that I owned
And asked for nothing in return
Would you do the same for me as I would for you?
Or take me for a ride
And strip me of everything including my pride
But spirit is something that no one destroys
And the sound that I'm hearing is only the sound
Of the low spark of high-heeled boys
Heeled boys
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Lyrics submitted by Moonshadow90
The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys Lyrics as written by Steve Winwood Jim Capaldi
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
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For what it's worh: I came to this site looking for the meaning. I think that txnuke1201 has the best opinion. For what it's worth I'll throw in my 2 cents worth. The star coming out of the ground reminds me of a nuclear explosion. The sound of a loud guitar I think is the sound of the rock culture in general, changing society. We are now really living in the 99% versus the 1% so this guy was way ahead of his time, as society and financial security were not as tight as the times we live in now. The man in the suit reminds me of (I won't mention any names but...) What is now being called " Vultue capitalism " That's the man in the suit. To me, " The low spark " means that what you are hearing is JUST the LOW spark. Like, you don't really want to hear the loud one. Don't know why he says once " Heil Boys " The ending of the song I see as an invitation to really think of what you are doing and change your evil materialistic ways and think of others rather than only your self. I hope that my opinion helps us further in unraveling the mystery.
But then on the other hand you have that other man in a suit who is really a socialist/marxist who wants to take everyone's dreams away...everyone is the same-struggling and poor. The American Dream is about YOU having the chance to become anything you want- you too can become that guy who gets rich-isn't that why all the hot shot college students go to University ? So they too can be rich....have the big house, the great vacations and the great car...you have to work for it and in American any young kid can live the dream-if he works for and does not expect the government or his neighbor to give him a hand out. Go to Poland or Serbia and try to do the same...
this explanantion seems to really be on point. i have learned something here. thanx for a most excellent breakdown of the lyrical content;)