"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 I'd've known it is the only time
I would see your face
Then we'd celebrate
When I'm alone living is only time
Till I see your face
Though it's not today
When I'm alone it is the only time
I will see your face
When I'm desperate
Now I'm alone building my holy shrine
Where I'll see your face
And then contemplate
If everything that's new is a lie
It's that same damn morning
And the same damn sky
All I do brings me close to you
Whatever you'd ask me to
Though I can't take back what's taken from me
All I see becomes a part of me
And even if you don't believe
Well I'll see you where the river meets us
Fighting the tide that takes me home
Only dreaming of the day
When the world will go away
A world that's full of pain
We fight the fight so that might know the fear of our mortality
If you breathe between the waves
You will end up in a lake
All I do brings me close to you
Whatever you'd ask me to
Though I can't take back what's taken from me
All I see becomes a part of me
And even if you don't believe
I'll see you where the river takes me
[Violin Solo]
And everything that's new is a lie
It's that same damn sun
In the same damn sky
And everything you thought you knew is a lie
God bless you son
At least you tried
All I do brings me close to you
Whatever you'd ask me to
So I can't take back what's taken from me
All I see becomes a part of me
And even if you won't believe
Well I'll see you where the river takes me
All I do (Just brings me close to you) (All I do)
You were all I'd see (Becomes a part of me... a part of me)
And all I do (Just brings me close to you)
You're all I see
And I'll see you when the river meets us
I would see your face
Then we'd celebrate
When I'm alone living is only time
Till I see your face
Though it's not today
When I'm alone it is the only time
I will see your face
When I'm desperate
Now I'm alone building my holy shrine
Where I'll see your face
And then contemplate
If everything that's new is a lie
It's that same damn morning
And the same damn sky
All I do brings me close to you
Whatever you'd ask me to
Though I can't take back what's taken from me
All I see becomes a part of me
And even if you don't believe
Well I'll see you where the river meets us
Fighting the tide that takes me home
Only dreaming of the day
When the world will go away
A world that's full of pain
We fight the fight so that might know the fear of our mortality
If you breathe between the waves
You will end up in a lake
All I do brings me close to you
Whatever you'd ask me to
Though I can't take back what's taken from me
All I see becomes a part of me
And even if you don't believe
I'll see you where the river takes me
[Violin Solo]
And everything that's new is a lie
It's that same damn sun
In the same damn sky
And everything you thought you knew is a lie
God bless you son
At least you tried
All I do brings me close to you
Whatever you'd ask me to
So I can't take back what's taken from me
All I see becomes a part of me
And even if you won't believe
Well I'll see you where the river takes me
All I do (Just brings me close to you) (All I do)
You were all I'd see (Becomes a part of me... a part of me)
And all I do (Just brings me close to you)
You're all I see
And I'll see you when the river meets us
Lyrics submitted by ab0ve
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Fast Car
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I am in agreement with Seprough--my first interpretation about the song is that one he loved has died and his path is just leading him toward death when he will be with her again. OnlyAMyth, your interpretation is interesting too. Thanks for the info on Tao!