"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.
Yeah, for all the festival heads, check it out
Alright it's that time of the year you've been waiting for, for months now
Saving up your pay trying to figure all your funds out
It's kinda funny when you think of all the fun
How it's taken this long to shake last year's comedown
Forget the past, as soon as December starts
Grab your parents' credit card and hope that you don't get in last
Yeah, 'cause if you let it pass these days
A week late can mean paying triple when you bpay off ebay (true)
It's hard to figure out what tickets you want, should it be Falls Festival or Pyramid Rock?
Well for me, I really don't care 'cause I don't listen to rock, or hip hop
I just wear earplugs and sit there and watch
If your favourite band's there you'll think you'll never forget
You'll probably get that wasted you won't remember their set
But if you're a festival head then you already know the plan
Go and pack up all your shit 'cause you're going on a trip for those summer days
Summer days
Oh, summer days
Summer days
For those summer days
I love summer days
Man I'm not squishing in the back
I'm telling you, shotgun front
Nah, bullshit man
Now when you finally make it there from driving up with your crew
You better get your mind set on finding something to do
'Cause you'll be stuck there lining up in the queue
Moving bumper-to-bumper until your arse hurts, all to get your car searched
And if your alcohol you're stressing 'cause you need it bad
Stashing bottles of vodka up in your sleeping bags
Maybe get a spare tyre with a heap of cans
It doesn't matter, everybody has their secret plan
Once your crew start picking your spot
Unpacking, realize all the things you forgot, or shit that you lost
Man, I swear I brought my pillows and socks
And dudes too excited already sitting there sloshed
It doesn't take long before you find somebody blazing up
Mate, what are you doing, I said to save the bud for Xavier Rudd
It's always the cheap fuckers who ain't paid enough, yep
But please note that we don't condone taking drugs
Summer days
Summer days
Oh, summer days
Summer days
I love summer days
I love summer days
Man, how cold is it inside this tent?
I know, it's freezing man, Jesus Christ!
Now as soon as the sun rises you'll be ready to start
At six o'clock standing there outside your tent with a glass
You're in it for the long haul, it doesn't end when it's dark
We all know you've got your friends to make your energy last
And you gotta time it so you peak it while the acts play
Try and jump the fence and start sneaking into back stage
If you get caught by police then try to act straight
Nah, they're not those pills, I need them for my back pain
And dudes are flying, saying to their mates "I love you man!"
Or on a walk so they can go and call their Mum and Dad (it's Pez)
And then there's people who so desperately just need a friend
They're going up to anybody trying to have a D&M (yeah, my family)
The next stage is you won't even watch the bands live
You're having too much fun talking shit around your campsite
Getting wasted while you bake in the sun
What can I say, yo, it's a fucking good way to get drunk
I love
Summer days, summer days
Oh, summer days, summer days
I love summer days
I love summer days
Hey, what happened to you guys last night?
I didn't even hear the countdown or anything
Now by the last day you're probably thinking summer's the worst
'Cause all that time out in the sun left you covered in burns
And smothered in dirt, the sight of all the dunnies is worse
And all the food shops are gone when you're so hungry it hurts
All you wanna do is sleep but you got packing to do
Then squash up in that car and jump back in a queue
Yeah, I know we all complain about the pain when it ends
But next year we'll save up and do the same shit again
I love
Summer days, summer days
Oh, summer days, summer days
I love summer days
I love summer days
I love summer days, summer days
Summer days
Summer days
I love summer days
Summer days
Summer days
I love summer days
I was gonna say I love festivals
Didn't really have the same ring to it though
Yeah
Pez, 360
Of course Matik on the beat
Yeah
Play that shit loud
Alright it's that time of the year you've been waiting for, for months now
Saving up your pay trying to figure all your funds out
It's kinda funny when you think of all the fun
How it's taken this long to shake last year's comedown
Forget the past, as soon as December starts
Grab your parents' credit card and hope that you don't get in last
Yeah, 'cause if you let it pass these days
A week late can mean paying triple when you bpay off ebay (true)
It's hard to figure out what tickets you want, should it be Falls Festival or Pyramid Rock?
Well for me, I really don't care 'cause I don't listen to rock, or hip hop
I just wear earplugs and sit there and watch
If your favourite band's there you'll think you'll never forget
You'll probably get that wasted you won't remember their set
But if you're a festival head then you already know the plan
Go and pack up all your shit 'cause you're going on a trip for those summer days
Summer days
Oh, summer days
Summer days
For those summer days
I love summer days
Man I'm not squishing in the back
I'm telling you, shotgun front
Nah, bullshit man
Now when you finally make it there from driving up with your crew
You better get your mind set on finding something to do
'Cause you'll be stuck there lining up in the queue
Moving bumper-to-bumper until your arse hurts, all to get your car searched
And if your alcohol you're stressing 'cause you need it bad
Stashing bottles of vodka up in your sleeping bags
Maybe get a spare tyre with a heap of cans
It doesn't matter, everybody has their secret plan
Once your crew start picking your spot
Unpacking, realize all the things you forgot, or shit that you lost
Man, I swear I brought my pillows and socks
And dudes too excited already sitting there sloshed
It doesn't take long before you find somebody blazing up
Mate, what are you doing, I said to save the bud for Xavier Rudd
It's always the cheap fuckers who ain't paid enough, yep
But please note that we don't condone taking drugs
Summer days
Summer days
Oh, summer days
Summer days
I love summer days
I love summer days
Man, how cold is it inside this tent?
I know, it's freezing man, Jesus Christ!
Now as soon as the sun rises you'll be ready to start
At six o'clock standing there outside your tent with a glass
You're in it for the long haul, it doesn't end when it's dark
We all know you've got your friends to make your energy last
And you gotta time it so you peak it while the acts play
Try and jump the fence and start sneaking into back stage
If you get caught by police then try to act straight
Nah, they're not those pills, I need them for my back pain
And dudes are flying, saying to their mates "I love you man!"
Or on a walk so they can go and call their Mum and Dad (it's Pez)
And then there's people who so desperately just need a friend
They're going up to anybody trying to have a D&M (yeah, my family)
The next stage is you won't even watch the bands live
You're having too much fun talking shit around your campsite
Getting wasted while you bake in the sun
What can I say, yo, it's a fucking good way to get drunk
I love
Summer days, summer days
Oh, summer days, summer days
I love summer days
I love summer days
Hey, what happened to you guys last night?
I didn't even hear the countdown or anything
Now by the last day you're probably thinking summer's the worst
'Cause all that time out in the sun left you covered in burns
And smothered in dirt, the sight of all the dunnies is worse
And all the food shops are gone when you're so hungry it hurts
All you wanna do is sleep but you got packing to do
Then squash up in that car and jump back in a queue
Yeah, I know we all complain about the pain when it ends
But next year we'll save up and do the same shit again
I love
Summer days, summer days
Oh, summer days, summer days
I love summer days
I love summer days
I love summer days, summer days
Summer days
Summer days
I love summer days
Summer days
Summer days
I love summer days
I was gonna say I love festivals
Didn't really have the same ring to it though
Yeah
Pez, 360
Of course Matik on the beat
Yeah
Play that shit loud
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Fast Car
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This is spot on. I love this song. Describes aussie festivals perfectly. Great fun. =) makes me smile