"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.
I think I'd love to own a motor bike
Two wheels and leather gloves
Sounds like something I might like.
But it might get hard to explain that sort of thing
A reader's poll suggested the top five reasons for everything.
We're right
Signals from inside
I found a message and it was pocket-sized.
Born 1983, but you'll always be a hundred to me.
I think I'd love to give you a ride someday
Hop on the back sweetheart
Does it sound like something I would say?
'cause it might get hard to explain myself to you
A readers' poll with a top five list
You around my hips would do.
Signals from inside
I found my message and it was pocket-sized.
Born 1983, but you'll always be a hundred to me.
I think I've learned that I should count by twos
Odd numbers like fifteen
Don't sound like something I would use.
'cause from now on we will always be a pair
And I won't try to pluralize
As long as you're still there.
Cause I think I'd love to ride my motor bike again
Let's take it for a spin.
Two wheels and leather gloves
Sounds like something I might like.
But it might get hard to explain that sort of thing
A reader's poll suggested the top five reasons for everything.
We're right
Signals from inside
I found a message and it was pocket-sized.
Born 1983, but you'll always be a hundred to me.
I think I'd love to give you a ride someday
Hop on the back sweetheart
Does it sound like something I would say?
'cause it might get hard to explain myself to you
A readers' poll with a top five list
You around my hips would do.
Signals from inside
I found my message and it was pocket-sized.
Born 1983, but you'll always be a hundred to me.
I think I've learned that I should count by twos
Odd numbers like fifteen
Don't sound like something I would use.
'cause from now on we will always be a pair
And I won't try to pluralize
As long as you're still there.
Cause I think I'd love to ride my motor bike again
Let's take it for a spin.
Lyrics submitted by hihileila
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Fast Car
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At the show I went to, he said that it was about his Harley Davidson collection... haha. Could be true!