"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.
She's all laid up in bed with a broken heart
While I'm drinkin' Jack all alone in my local bar
And we don't know how
How we got into this mad situation
Only doing things out of frustration
Tryna make it work, but man, these times are hard
She needs me now, but I can't seem to find the time
I got a new job now on the unemployment line
And we don't know how
How we got into this mess, is it God's test?
Someone help us 'cause we're doin' our best
Tryna make it work, but man, these times are hard
But we're gonna start by
Drinkin' old cheap bottles of wine
Shit talkin' up all night
Sayin' things we haven't for a while, a while, yeah
We're smilin' but we're close to tears
Even after all these years
We just now got the feelin' that we're meetin'
For the first time
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
She's in line at the dole with her head held high
While I just lost my job but didn't lose my pride
And we both know how
How we're gonna make it work when it hurts
When you pick yourself up, you get kicked to the dirt
Tryna make it work, but man, these times are hard
But we're gonna start by
Drinkin' old cheap bottles of wine
Shit talkin' up all night
Doin' things we haven't for a while, a while, yeah
We're smilin' but we're close to tears
Even after all these years
We just now got the feelin' that we're meetin'
For the first time
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Yeah
Drinkin' old cheap bottles of wine
Shit talkin' up all night
Sayin' things we haven't for a while
We're smilin' but we're close to tears
Even after all these years
We just now got the feelin' that we're meetin'
For the first time
Ooh (yeah, for the first time)
Ooh (oh, for the first time)
Ooh (yeah, for the first time)
We just now got the feelin' that we're meetin'
For the first time
Oh, these times are hard
Yeah, they're makin' us crazy
Don't give up on me, baby
Oh, these times are hard
Yeah, they're makin' us crazy
Don't give up on me, baby
Oh, these times are hard
Yeah, they're makin' us crazy
Don't give up on me, baby
Oh, these times are hard
Yeah, they're makin' us crazy
Don't give up on me, baby
While I'm drinkin' Jack all alone in my local bar
And we don't know how
How we got into this mad situation
Only doing things out of frustration
Tryna make it work, but man, these times are hard
She needs me now, but I can't seem to find the time
I got a new job now on the unemployment line
And we don't know how
How we got into this mess, is it God's test?
Someone help us 'cause we're doin' our best
Tryna make it work, but man, these times are hard
But we're gonna start by
Drinkin' old cheap bottles of wine
Shit talkin' up all night
Sayin' things we haven't for a while, a while, yeah
We're smilin' but we're close to tears
Even after all these years
We just now got the feelin' that we're meetin'
For the first time
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
She's in line at the dole with her head held high
While I just lost my job but didn't lose my pride
And we both know how
How we're gonna make it work when it hurts
When you pick yourself up, you get kicked to the dirt
Tryna make it work, but man, these times are hard
But we're gonna start by
Drinkin' old cheap bottles of wine
Shit talkin' up all night
Doin' things we haven't for a while, a while, yeah
We're smilin' but we're close to tears
Even after all these years
We just now got the feelin' that we're meetin'
For the first time
Ooh
Ooh
Ooh
Yeah
Drinkin' old cheap bottles of wine
Shit talkin' up all night
Sayin' things we haven't for a while
We're smilin' but we're close to tears
Even after all these years
We just now got the feelin' that we're meetin'
For the first time
Ooh (yeah, for the first time)
Ooh (oh, for the first time)
Ooh (yeah, for the first time)
We just now got the feelin' that we're meetin'
For the first time
Oh, these times are hard
Yeah, they're makin' us crazy
Don't give up on me, baby
Oh, these times are hard
Yeah, they're makin' us crazy
Don't give up on me, baby
Oh, these times are hard
Yeah, they're makin' us crazy
Don't give up on me, baby
Oh, these times are hard
Yeah, they're makin' us crazy
Don't give up on me, baby
Lyrics submitted by NascarPirate
For the First Time Lyrics as written by Mark Anthony Sheehan Daniel John O'donoghue
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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i absolutely love love love this and it makes you remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and things can be good even if everything seems bad. i think many people can relate to this because of the ard times in the world at the moment and the fact that people go through hard times all the time, everyday. i love the music in this and the fact that its a really simple song. i cant wait for the rest of the album.
"the light at the end of the tunnel" saying was flawless. You're absolutely right.