"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.
Of all the boys that love you,
I would be who's likely to suspect,
the statue you erect
But combined with cosmic timing,
consequences sent me on this quest,
for treasures in your chest,
you're on the list
But Loralee,
I thought that what you do,
is free
Now that my blood is boiling,
couples do seem more and more insane,
they're stabbing at my brain,
Well this could be the answer,
to who could be the best of your employ,
your acquiescent joy,
one to destroy
If all your smiles, Loralee,
were ever wasted on me,
I'd be another glance,
another fallen circumstance
To feel the power of denial,
you know I'd kill for your smile,
it's better to have loved and lost,
than to have loved a ghost
If all your smiles, Loralee,
were ever wasted on me,
I'd be another glance,
another broken circumstance
To feel the power of denial,
you know I'd kill for your smile,
but you know, in this world,
you've always been the child (?)
I would be who's likely to suspect,
the statue you erect
But combined with cosmic timing,
consequences sent me on this quest,
for treasures in your chest,
you're on the list
But Loralee,
I thought that what you do,
is free
Now that my blood is boiling,
couples do seem more and more insane,
they're stabbing at my brain,
Well this could be the answer,
to who could be the best of your employ,
your acquiescent joy,
one to destroy
If all your smiles, Loralee,
were ever wasted on me,
I'd be another glance,
another fallen circumstance
To feel the power of denial,
you know I'd kill for your smile,
it's better to have loved and lost,
than to have loved a ghost
If all your smiles, Loralee,
were ever wasted on me,
I'd be another glance,
another broken circumstance
To feel the power of denial,
you know I'd kill for your smile,
but you know, in this world,
you've always been the child (?)
Lyrics submitted by v2kv
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Fast Car
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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