"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.
(Release me)
I can't stand the way that you make me, I feel pressure
I can't stop the way that you place me, under pressure
The sound flew in the bare room, the ride's no longer spare
And time will always fall apart in a house where they don't care
We fantasized your life
And recognized the sins
But it's tit for tat, you take the rap
Now it's me that's gonna win
I can't stand the way that you make me, I feel pressure
I can't stop the way that you place me, under pressure
You've got chalk on the sidewalk, and the telephone always rings
I'd rip the cord out, pull the wire out, kick it on the shins
You paralysed the gold mine
And the trains are standing still
They pull you back and now you're trapped
As they move in for the kill
(For the kill)
I can't stand the way that you make me, I feel pressure
I can't stop the way that you place me, under pressure
I can't stand the day that you wake me, I feel pressure
(Release me)
I can't stand the way that you break me, under pressure
(Release me)
Everytime I walk out in the sun the rain will come and really cry
Release me
We found you in the spare room with your eyes no longer there
The lamp flex led up to your heart like a divers cord for air
We electrolysed your mind
And analyzed your limbs
Escapist crap, I've had all that
Now it's me that's gonna win
(I'm gonna win)
I can't stand the way that you make me, I feel pressure
I can't stop the way that you place me, under pressure
I can't stand the day that you wake me, I feel pressure
I can't stand the way that you break me, under pressure
(Release me)
I can't stand the way you disgrace me, I feel pressure
(Release me)
I can't stop the way that you hate me, I feel pressure
(Release me)
Everytime I walk out in the sun the rain will come and really cry
Now I can't be me at all
Now I can't be me at all
Now I can't be me at all
I can't stand the way that you make me, I feel pressure
I can't stop the way that you place me, under pressure
The sound flew in the bare room, the ride's no longer spare
And time will always fall apart in a house where they don't care
We fantasized your life
And recognized the sins
But it's tit for tat, you take the rap
Now it's me that's gonna win
I can't stand the way that you make me, I feel pressure
I can't stop the way that you place me, under pressure
You've got chalk on the sidewalk, and the telephone always rings
I'd rip the cord out, pull the wire out, kick it on the shins
You paralysed the gold mine
And the trains are standing still
They pull you back and now you're trapped
As they move in for the kill
(For the kill)
I can't stand the way that you make me, I feel pressure
I can't stop the way that you place me, under pressure
I can't stand the day that you wake me, I feel pressure
(Release me)
I can't stand the way that you break me, under pressure
(Release me)
Everytime I walk out in the sun the rain will come and really cry
Release me
We found you in the spare room with your eyes no longer there
The lamp flex led up to your heart like a divers cord for air
We electrolysed your mind
And analyzed your limbs
Escapist crap, I've had all that
Now it's me that's gonna win
(I'm gonna win)
I can't stand the way that you make me, I feel pressure
I can't stop the way that you place me, under pressure
I can't stand the day that you wake me, I feel pressure
I can't stand the way that you break me, under pressure
(Release me)
I can't stand the way you disgrace me, I feel pressure
(Release me)
I can't stop the way that you hate me, I feel pressure
(Release me)
Everytime I walk out in the sun the rain will come and really cry
Now I can't be me at all
Now I can't be me at all
Now I can't be me at all
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