"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.
Well all my friends treated me so well
You know I'm headed out to that Mission Bell
Gonna wash my soul, gonna get it clean
Heading down the border road called the El Camino
Well I've been a prince, you know I've been a post
By a barb wire fence and a murder of crows
I believe in all I've loved and all I have seen
Heading down border road called the El Camino
Heading down border road called the El Camine
Yeah my hearts grown sick,
I've got a shepherds crook as a walking stick
And I'm heading on.
Yeah my hearts gone blue and I've done wrong by you
I don't know what to do
But I'm moving on, yeah I'm moving on
One and one is two, two and two is four
I'm walking back and forth
On your cracked tiled kitchen floor
With the orange juice and the sun that shines
It really breaks my heart leaving you behind,
It really breaks my heart leaving you behind
All my ships have sailed away
The price of this politic,
That there's plenty of time to play.
Plenty of time to waste away.
Well to all my friends, that I've loved the most
You know I'm heading out to that other coast
Gonna wash my soul, gonna get it clean
Heading down the border road, called the El Camino,
Heading down the border road, called the El Camine.
You know I'm headed out to that Mission Bell
Gonna wash my soul, gonna get it clean
Heading down the border road called the El Camino
Well I've been a prince, you know I've been a post
By a barb wire fence and a murder of crows
I believe in all I've loved and all I have seen
Heading down border road called the El Camino
Heading down border road called the El Camine
Yeah my hearts grown sick,
I've got a shepherds crook as a walking stick
And I'm heading on.
Yeah my hearts gone blue and I've done wrong by you
I don't know what to do
But I'm moving on, yeah I'm moving on
One and one is two, two and two is four
I'm walking back and forth
On your cracked tiled kitchen floor
With the orange juice and the sun that shines
It really breaks my heart leaving you behind,
It really breaks my heart leaving you behind
All my ships have sailed away
The price of this politic,
That there's plenty of time to play.
Plenty of time to waste away.
Well to all my friends, that I've loved the most
You know I'm heading out to that other coast
Gonna wash my soul, gonna get it clean
Heading down the border road, called the El Camino,
Heading down the border road, called the El Camine.
Lyrics submitted by TheDevilWearsPrada, edited by mjtrulli
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Fast Car
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“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
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OK SeaBee, lets put your industry fantasy party notions to rest. This song, by a modern Americana's finest, deserves respect and reverence. It brings solace to those with hearts and souls who have gone on before them. Those who know the the Country Outlaw spirit, knows El Camino is in fact a haunting ghost story sung through Willie Nelson and Mr. Lee by The Great Johnny Cash.
"Well all my friends treated me so well" Mr. Cash had more friends than stars in the sky
"You know I'm headed out to that Mission Bell Gonna wash my soul, gonna get it clean" This speaks of Johnny's knowledge of where he was headed.
"Heading down the border road called the El Camino" The reference to touring "On The Road" here is pretty clear. El Camino translates into "The Road" - "On the Road Again" was Cash and Nelson's #1 hit "what they loved was making music with their friends." And this will go on and on in the great beyond. Johnny is staying on the Border Road.
Well I've been a prince,
"you know I've been opposed By a barb wire fence and a murder of crows" Nelson knows Cash has been opposed. He was locked up 7 times. He was also fired by his label, even black listed.
"I believe in all I've loved and all I have seen" You don't actually have to know Cash, as Nelson did to know that line rans through the marrow in his bones.
"Heading down border road called the El Camino Heading down border road called the El Camino" A fear of flying would've prevented Cash from flying up to heaven, and his fear of snakes kept him out of hell. Instead he's going on touring waiting for his friends to join him.
"Yeah my hearts grown sick" Johnny had by-pass surgery.
"I've got a shepherds crook as a walking stick" Later in life he had a coveted hand carved cane.
" And I'm heading on." To the eternal border road, neither above or below.
"Yeah my hearts gone blue and I've done wrong by you I don't know what to do" The accidental death of his older brother when he was young, plagued Cash his whole life. He felt guilty for not being able to prevent it. This yet again identifies Cash to Nelson.
"But I'm moving on, yeah I'm moving on" To the great touring road in the beyond.
"One and one is two", Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash
"two and two is four" turn into 4 with the Super Country Outlaw Stars know as the Highway Men, with their hit album: "The Road Goes on Forever" with fitting songs
"I'm walking back and forth cross your cracked tile kitchen floor" Mr. Cash's ghost walks back and forth between Mr. Lee and Nelson to give his advice to prepare for the road. Little joke here to remind Nelson how they partied. Not your regular industry party, their parties had them passed out drunk on the kitchen floor.
"With the orange juice" Dexedrine was the addiction of choice for Mr. Cash. Juiced up on little orange pills.
"and the sun that shines" Sun Records, with the bright yellow label and the energetic rooster...
"It really breaks my heart leaving you behind, It really breaks my heart leaving you behind" Little joke here, it's always best to be the first one to go.
"All my ships have sailed away" There comes a time in every mans life, who lives long enough, that they have to watch the women move on, including his heart and soul, June Carter Cash who passed away just before he followed in 2003.
" The price of this politic", Keeping up with the public eye keeps you home studying religion. Johnny, The Man in Black, penned a novel about the Prince of Peace titled, "The Man In White." He had a deep relationship with God and his son.
" That there's plenty of time to pray".
"Plenty of time to waste away." "Pack only the most important things," he says to his friend. "And get ready to hit the road with me, playing the music we love with the people we love, our heart and souls, Forever on the Border Road between the silvery ocean and the dry dessert."
"Well to all my friends, that I've loved the most" Johnny had many friends including his fans, but this song is to the friends that he loved the most.
"You know I'm heading out to that other coast Gonna wash my soul, gonna get it clean" Rocking Gospel music during the in between.
Heading down the border road, called the El Camino, Heading down the border road, called the El Camine