"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.
Roy:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
All:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
Roy:
And that concludes my statement honored members of the press
And now I'll take a few hard-hitting questions… Yes?
Doug:
Sir, you say we have a right to torture
Defying international convention
Won’t you tell us sir, how you support yer
Contention?
Roy:
Doug, I’m glad you asked, and may I mention...
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
Now you tell me, how many pecks of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked
Four
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
All:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
Kenny:
Sir, your budget deficits are soaring
While tax cuts for the rich are your obsession
Some would say you’re cleverly ignoring
The quession
Roy:
Kenny, I’ll say this to that suggession...
Mrs. Bigger had a baby, now you tell me which is bigger,
Mrs. Bigger or her baby?
The baby was a little Bigger
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train
All:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
Roy:
I’m going up there, come the Rapture
You’re coming with me, or perhaps yer
Not...
'Cause Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy
And Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln
Is that coincidence, or what?
Doug, Kenny and Sean:
What
Roy:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train...
Sean:
Sir...
Your approval rating is deflating
Corruption hangs upon you like a cancer
The nation’s going to hell, and we’re awaiting
An answer
Roy:
Sean, allow me to spell out my plan
Sean:
Sir...
Roy:
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-and-Z
Doug, Kenny and Sean:
Backward...
Roy:
Z-Y-X-W-V-U-T-S-R-Q-P-O-N-M-L-K-J-I-H-G-F-E-D-C-B-and-A - Hey!
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
All:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride...
On that Train...Yip!
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
All:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
Roy:
And that concludes my statement honored members of the press
And now I'll take a few hard-hitting questions… Yes?
Doug:
Sir, you say we have a right to torture
Defying international convention
Won’t you tell us sir, how you support yer
Contention?
Roy:
Doug, I’m glad you asked, and may I mention...
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
Now you tell me, how many pecks of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked
Four
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
All:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
Kenny:
Sir, your budget deficits are soaring
While tax cuts for the rich are your obsession
Some would say you’re cleverly ignoring
The quession
Roy:
Kenny, I’ll say this to that suggession...
Mrs. Bigger had a baby, now you tell me which is bigger,
Mrs. Bigger or her baby?
The baby was a little Bigger
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train
All:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
Roy:
I’m going up there, come the Rapture
You’re coming with me, or perhaps yer
Not...
'Cause Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy
And Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln
Is that coincidence, or what?
Doug, Kenny and Sean:
What
Roy:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train...
Sean:
Sir...
Your approval rating is deflating
Corruption hangs upon you like a cancer
The nation’s going to hell, and we’re awaiting
An answer
Roy:
Sean, allow me to spell out my plan
Sean:
Sir...
Roy:
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-and-Z
Doug, Kenny and Sean:
Backward...
Roy:
Z-Y-X-W-V-U-T-S-R-Q-P-O-N-M-L-K-J-I-H-G-F-E-D-C-B-and-A - Hey!
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
All:
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train!
I’m gonna ride on that Glory-Bound Train, oh Lordy
I’m gonna ride...
On that Train...Yip!
Lyrics submitted by BanachTarski
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