"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.
It was your birthday yesterday
I gave a gift that almost took your breath away
But to be honest I nearly left it on the train
For your lover give some time
You talk forever on the phone
To your mother and with my thoughts I'm left alone
Now and then I think "How strange our love has grown"
For your lover give some time
I'll give up this cigarette
Stay at home and watch you mend the tears in your dress
Have your name in a rose tattooed across my chest
And be your lover for all time
Maybe I will drink a little less
Come home early and not complain about the day
And give you flowers from the graveyard now and then
For your lover give some time
I think of places that I've seen
A skipping stone across the ocean I have been
A ruthless man with no one else to share my dream
And for my lover gave no time
Heres is a toast to you Helen
To all the cinemas we ran in from the rain
Laughing clutching soaking newspapers to your face
And for your love you gave some time
I'll give up this cigarette
Stay at home and watch you mend the tears in your dress
Have your name in a rose tattooed across my chest
And be your lover for all time
Maybe I will drink a little less
Come home early and not complain about the day
And give you flowers from the graveyard now and then
And for my lover give some time
For your lover give some time
I gave a gift that almost took your breath away
But to be honest I nearly left it on the train
For your lover give some time
You talk forever on the phone
To your mother and with my thoughts I'm left alone
Now and then I think "How strange our love has grown"
For your lover give some time
I'll give up this cigarette
Stay at home and watch you mend the tears in your dress
Have your name in a rose tattooed across my chest
And be your lover for all time
Maybe I will drink a little less
Come home early and not complain about the day
And give you flowers from the graveyard now and then
For your lover give some time
I think of places that I've seen
A skipping stone across the ocean I have been
A ruthless man with no one else to share my dream
And for my lover gave no time
Heres is a toast to you Helen
To all the cinemas we ran in from the rain
Laughing clutching soaking newspapers to your face
And for your love you gave some time
I'll give up this cigarette
Stay at home and watch you mend the tears in your dress
Have your name in a rose tattooed across my chest
And be your lover for all time
Maybe I will drink a little less
Come home early and not complain about the day
And give you flowers from the graveyard now and then
And for my lover give some time
For your lover give some time
Lyrics submitted by life_aint_chess
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Beautiful song, my favourite Richard Hawley by a long way... For me the title and the theme sum up the idea of having nothing but each other. I think it's the story of a poor couple who have nothing but love and time to give each other, hence the phrase 'for you lover give some time...'
First, I think it's "come home early and not complain about the debts", rather than 'day'. Also she is mending the tears in her dress because they can't afford new clothes, and he brings her flowers from the graveyard because he can't buy flowers in a shop. A beautiful song and imagery