"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.
He thinks, he needs me,
to be seen, she will.
He says, it's easy,
and he sees, what she feels.
So I get my dress on.
Could I get my dress on?
And I put my face right?
And I put my face in?
In lanes, the feeling, goes my way.
But you won't find out.
No you don't find out.
What it takes to go down, down.
So I get my dress on.
Could I get my dress on?
And I put my face right?
And I put my face in?
He needs me, face in.
Face in fire.
Till I get my dress on.
Till I get my dress on.
And I put my face right?
And I put my face in?
to be seen, she will.
He says, it's easy,
and he sees, what she feels.
So I get my dress on.
Could I get my dress on?
And I put my face right?
And I put my face in?
In lanes, the feeling, goes my way.
But you won't find out.
No you don't find out.
What it takes to go down, down.
So I get my dress on.
Could I get my dress on?
And I put my face right?
And I put my face in?
He needs me, face in.
Face in fire.
Till I get my dress on.
Till I get my dress on.
And I put my face right?
And I put my face in?
Lyrics submitted by SoftMint
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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I think the music video for this song helps to explain what it means. In the video the lead singer's fiancée packs her bags and deserts him. He sees the wedding dress she was meant to wear hung up on the door. Turns up to the wedding wearing the dress, marriage takes place without her, makes for a very funny video. So maybe this song is about why the girl left him, or why she's deciding whether to. She's scared of marriage, the groom-to-be needs her "to be seen" so as a trophy wife/fashion accessory. He says "it's easy, and he sees, what she feels," trying to sympathise with her. The girl realises that as soon as she puts that wedding dress on and wears her make-up (does her "face right") to go to the wedding, her life will never be the same, they are tied together. So she's arguing with herself, the last chorus, is changed from "so I get my dress on" to "till I guess my dress on" emphasising her dilemma, and suggesting she's prolonging the decision.