"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.
Death falls so heavy on my soul
Death falls so heavy, makes me moan
Somebody tell my father that I died
Somebody tell my mother that I cried
Death falls so heavy on my soul
Death falls so heavy, makes me moan
Somebody tell my father that I died
Somebody tell my mother that I cried
Once in my younger days
Once in my younger days I had a girl to love
Death falls so heavy on my soul
Death falls so heavy, makes me moan
Somebody tell my father that I died
Somebody tell my mother that I cried
Once in my younger days
Once in my younger days I had a girl to love
Death falls so heavy, makes me moan
Somebody tell my father that I died
Somebody tell my mother that I cried
Death falls so heavy on my soul
Death falls so heavy, makes me moan
Somebody tell my father that I died
Somebody tell my mother that I cried
Once in my younger days
Once in my younger days I had a girl to love
Death falls so heavy on my soul
Death falls so heavy, makes me moan
Somebody tell my father that I died
Somebody tell my mother that I cried
Once in my younger days
Once in my younger days I had a girl to love
Lyrics submitted by TheProfessional
Mechanical World Lyrics as written by Mark Andes Jay Ferguson
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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Page
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oh my god! I barely know what I'm listening but this is a great song
I remember this from grade school. I thought it was about a really depressed young guy who did too many drugs and was dying from an overdose. Unintentionally. Was thinking back while fading out. About his Dad, Mom,and girlfriend. Song really blew me away. I was a young kid and this was definitely different than most top 40 stations would play. Spirit went on to become one of my favorite bands back then. Always called Mechanical World the doper song. Psychedelic awesome tune.
@CjTom The haunting music sets the feel of the dying GI on the battlefield not wanting his loved ones to not know what happened to him (sometimes their body was in too many pieces to bring home) 💔🇺🇲🕊️
Viet Nam War: GIs wanted to message those closest to them back home to know what happened in case their bodies (or what was left of them) & couldn't be recovered & brought home to their loved ones & reflects the dying's last wish for their 💖 ones to know they were in their last thoughts 🥺💖🕊️🙏 FB ohioshirey
This is a dirge. It is suitable for playing only at a funeral, or a remembrance service, with permission from the surviving relatives. Spirit dragged it out by repeating the whole thing twice. Once is enough. This is not "psychedelic" or any other kind of fun. Listen with caution, but if you want it played at your funeral, go for it.
@Wastrelway The haunting music sets the feel of the dying GI on the battlefield who wanted his loved ones at home to know he was dead so they wouldn't be wondering in case there were too many body pieces to bring back home 🇺🇲💔🕊️