"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.
We move away
But the only things that change are the names of the states
What stays the same
Would march persistantly over any terrain
Through snow or rain
New England winter skies are always gray
As if to say don't wait
They're gonna find you, keep on moving, you're never safe
We make and stake
Our identity on one lousy thing we say
So escape from fate
You've only got one life, you better live it your way
I don't want to walk a mile
In someone elses shoes
I've only got one pair that fit
And they're still as good as new
So I'm lacing up my sneakers
And I'm going to hit the road
I'll tell you where I've been, but not where I'll go
We make mistakes
But never stick around to hear it's okay
So we run so far away
To a brand new set of problems we'll have to face
I don't want immortality
But I'd like the guarantee
That when I die eventually
My eulogy will read
You don't have to keep running
Man you've finally found your peace
We wish you'd stuck around
But you had to leave
But the only things that change are the names of the states
What stays the same
Would march persistantly over any terrain
Through snow or rain
New England winter skies are always gray
As if to say don't wait
They're gonna find you, keep on moving, you're never safe
We make and stake
Our identity on one lousy thing we say
So escape from fate
You've only got one life, you better live it your way
I don't want to walk a mile
In someone elses shoes
I've only got one pair that fit
And they're still as good as new
So I'm lacing up my sneakers
And I'm going to hit the road
I'll tell you where I've been, but not where I'll go
We make mistakes
But never stick around to hear it's okay
So we run so far away
To a brand new set of problems we'll have to face
I don't want immortality
But I'd like the guarantee
That when I die eventually
My eulogy will read
You don't have to keep running
Man you've finally found your peace
We wish you'd stuck around
But you had to leave
Lyrics submitted by SisterCity
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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