"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.
Oh, sister my dear, I wish that you were here and I wish that you could hear this song that I sing. Oh, sister my dear, I wish that you were here and maybe your babies would sing along with me. Oh, sister my dear, It's too bad you had to leave. I never got a chance to tell you you're my favorite family. That imaginary mouse that you gave to me has always been one of my favorite memories.
Oh, Sister my dear, you know that everyone agreed, losing you and your babies was our biggest tragedies. For the first time in my life, I saw my daddy cry and everyone kept asking Oh, why? Oh, why?
And I asked God to save at least your little baby. But he let me down. And that's when I decided that there must not be any God around.
Oh, sister my dear, how old would your baby be if you would've brought him to our house on that Halloween? It was 1984 so I guess he'd be 19. I wonder, oh, wonder what he'd think of me. Oh, pay for your lover, the one you left behind, the father of your children who lost his old life. Your family was trying. Your future was so bright. All anyone could say is that just isn't right. And you used to sing to me, you'd sing; Oh yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone. Oh yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone. And I hope that you were right and I hope that I am wrong and I hope that those are more than words to a silly song. Yeah, I hope that you are right and I hope that I am wrong.
Oh, sister my dear, they said the only one to blame was the electricity that made the spark, that made the flame. With your babies in your arms, you tried so hard to flea then the darkness filled your lungs and it put you off to sleep.
Oh, Sister my dear, you know that everyone agreed, losing you and your babies was our biggest tragedies. For the first time in my life, I saw my daddy cry and everyone kept asking Oh, why? Oh, why?
And I asked God to save at least your little baby. But he let me down. And that's when I decided that there must not be any God around.
Oh, sister my dear, how old would your baby be if you would've brought him to our house on that Halloween? It was 1984 so I guess he'd be 19. I wonder, oh, wonder what he'd think of me. Oh, pay for your lover, the one you left behind, the father of your children who lost his old life. Your family was trying. Your future was so bright. All anyone could say is that just isn't right. And you used to sing to me, you'd sing; Oh yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone. Oh yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone. And I hope that you were right and I hope that I am wrong and I hope that those are more than words to a silly song. Yeah, I hope that you are right and I hope that I am wrong.
Oh, sister my dear, they said the only one to blame was the electricity that made the spark, that made the flame. With your babies in your arms, you tried so hard to flea then the darkness filled your lungs and it put you off to sleep.
Lyrics submitted by bbq49
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