"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.
I might lost my leg in the war
What war? The war of love.
My girl's a real shark
I'm not gonna try to uh debate it, not everybodys perfect
My baby told me, "Darling if you can't get a pardon, better get a parole"
I told her I'd be out by morning when the sun is dawning with a money roll
Ooh we, that gal's the gal for me
She loves me tenderly
I walked with my brand new slacks and my hair slick back down to Donny's pier
Donny wants me to buy him a bottle but I blew my wallet on a chandelier
All for my loving gal Eleanor who loves the elderly
A bottle of scotch
A dimesack and a diamond watch
Wouldn't you like that
A bottle of gin
A typewriter and a violin
Wouldn't you like that
Whoa! James Felice on the piano. Real talent. Alright Jimmy that's enough let's wrap it up.
Ooh we, that gal's the gal for me
She loves me tenderly
I left my blue-eyed lady and went with Tony Mercedes to the gambling room
I lost my diamond watch but in the parking lot I took back again
Oh man you've got to understand
She loves me tenderly
A bottle of scotch
A dimesack and a diamond watch
Wouldn't you like that
A bottle of gin (what)
A typewriter and a violin
Wouldn't you like that
A sunny day, a shotgun and a Chevrolet
Wouldn't you like that
A painted scene of horses on the city green
Wouldn't you like that
A microwave, a pillbox and a jack of spades
Wouldn't you like that
What war? The war of love.
My girl's a real shark
I'm not gonna try to uh debate it, not everybodys perfect
My baby told me, "Darling if you can't get a pardon, better get a parole"
I told her I'd be out by morning when the sun is dawning with a money roll
Ooh we, that gal's the gal for me
She loves me tenderly
I walked with my brand new slacks and my hair slick back down to Donny's pier
Donny wants me to buy him a bottle but I blew my wallet on a chandelier
All for my loving gal Eleanor who loves the elderly
A bottle of scotch
A dimesack and a diamond watch
Wouldn't you like that
A bottle of gin
A typewriter and a violin
Wouldn't you like that
Whoa! James Felice on the piano. Real talent. Alright Jimmy that's enough let's wrap it up.
Ooh we, that gal's the gal for me
She loves me tenderly
I left my blue-eyed lady and went with Tony Mercedes to the gambling room
I lost my diamond watch but in the parking lot I took back again
Oh man you've got to understand
She loves me tenderly
A bottle of scotch
A dimesack and a diamond watch
Wouldn't you like that
A bottle of gin (what)
A typewriter and a violin
Wouldn't you like that
A sunny day, a shotgun and a Chevrolet
Wouldn't you like that
A painted scene of horses on the city green
Wouldn't you like that
A microwave, a pillbox and a jack of spades
Wouldn't you like that
Lyrics submitted by rockisgroovy
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Corrections, I think. "I told her I'd be out by morning when the sun is dawning with a money roll" "All for my loving gal Lenore who loves the elderly"