"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.
There was a house of sin.
I walked in, unpacked my bags
And jumped right in
[Chorus]
Let it burn (burn burn)
The city's on fire tonight.
Well let it burn (burn burn)
The squats on fire tonight.
Spent a week in parish jail.
Don't pay no rent, ain't got no bail.
[Chorus]
Let it burn (burn burn)
The city's on fire tonight.
Well let it burn (burn burn)
The squats on fire tonight.
Drink all night, sleep all day.
Work no job and get no pay.
Let it burn (burn burn)
The city's on fire tonight.
Well let it burn (burn burn)
The boys are out tonight.
[Outro]
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn yeah yeah yeah let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn burn
Don't trust us
[Outro]
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn yeah yeah yeah let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn burn
Eating rat poison.
Drinking gasoline.
Trying to kill myself.
Down to New Orleans.
Face down in the gutter.
Pass me another.
Revolution is hard
Work my brother.
Well let it burn
Let it burn (let it burn)
The city's on fire tonight.
[Outro]
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn yeah yeah yeah let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn burn
I walked in, unpacked my bags
And jumped right in
[Chorus]
Let it burn (burn burn)
The city's on fire tonight.
Well let it burn (burn burn)
The squats on fire tonight.
Spent a week in parish jail.
Don't pay no rent, ain't got no bail.
[Chorus]
Let it burn (burn burn)
The city's on fire tonight.
Well let it burn (burn burn)
The squats on fire tonight.
Drink all night, sleep all day.
Work no job and get no pay.
Let it burn (burn burn)
The city's on fire tonight.
Well let it burn (burn burn)
The boys are out tonight.
[Outro]
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn yeah yeah yeah let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn burn
Don't trust us
[Outro]
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn yeah yeah yeah let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn burn
Eating rat poison.
Drinking gasoline.
Trying to kill myself.
Down to New Orleans.
Face down in the gutter.
Pass me another.
Revolution is hard
Work my brother.
Well let it burn
Let it burn (let it burn)
The city's on fire tonight.
[Outro]
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn yeah yeah yeah let it burn)
Well let it burn (burn burn let it burn)
Well let it burn burn
Lyrics submitted by Krakshot
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