"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.
As processions fade,
New hearts doubt.
But you are Golden and no one questions it.
But who you fake and how you sound,
Asks the best of men
To share your sentiment
I want to be the one to help you find those years
That you've been talking about.
Dreaming of the South
And all those lost goodbyes,
And all those lonely tears,
You never got to cry
It never works out right,
Unless you're one to follow.
Where the silence takes too long,
When the night falls
When the night falls oh so slow,
And caution isn't ours.
When the night falls
When the night falls oh so low,
We may lose control.
I want to be the one to help you find those years
That you've been talking about.
Dreaming of the South
And all those lonely nights,
And all those lost goodbyes,
You never got to sigh.
I want to be the one to help you find those dreams
Because you've been hanging around,
Talking about the South,
And all those balmy nights,
And all those lonely songs,
You never got to write.
And I'll hold your hand as I walk you through that door,
I'll hold your hand as you held my hand as I walk you through the door
New hearts doubt.
But you are Golden and no one questions it.
But who you fake and how you sound,
Asks the best of men
To share your sentiment
I want to be the one to help you find those years
That you've been talking about.
Dreaming of the South
And all those lost goodbyes,
And all those lonely tears,
You never got to cry
It never works out right,
Unless you're one to follow.
Where the silence takes too long,
When the night falls
When the night falls oh so slow,
And caution isn't ours.
When the night falls
When the night falls oh so low,
We may lose control.
I want to be the one to help you find those years
That you've been talking about.
Dreaming of the South
And all those lonely nights,
And all those lost goodbyes,
You never got to sigh.
I want to be the one to help you find those dreams
Because you've been hanging around,
Talking about the South,
And all those balmy nights,
And all those lonely songs,
You never got to write.
And I'll hold your hand as I walk you through that door,
I'll hold your hand as you held my hand as I walk you through the door
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Fast Car
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THIS is the song that made me fall in love with future islands