"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.
God and His only Son
Paid a courtesy call on Earth
One Sunday morning
Orange blossoms opened their fragrant lips
Songbirds sang from the tips of Cottonwoods
Old folks wept for His love in these hard times
"Well, we got to get going," said the restless Lord to the Son
There are galaxies yet to be born
Creation is never done
Anyway, these people are slobs here
If we stay it's bound to be a mob scene
But, disappear, and it's love and hard times
I loved her the first time I saw her
I know that's an old songwriting cliche
Loved you the first time I saw you
Can't describe it any other way
Any other way
The light of her beauty was warm as a summer day
Clouds of antelope rolled by
No hint of rain to come
In the prairie sky
It's just love, love, love, love, love
When the rains came, the tears burned, windows rattled, locks turned
It's easy to be generous when you're on a roll
It's hard to be grateful when you're out of control
And love is gone
The light at the edge of the curtain
Is the quiet dawn
The bedroom breathes
In clicks and clacks
Uneasy heartbeat, can't relax
But then your hand takes mine
Thank God, I found you in time
Thank God, I found you
Thank God, I found you
Paid a courtesy call on Earth
One Sunday morning
Orange blossoms opened their fragrant lips
Songbirds sang from the tips of Cottonwoods
Old folks wept for His love in these hard times
"Well, we got to get going," said the restless Lord to the Son
There are galaxies yet to be born
Creation is never done
Anyway, these people are slobs here
If we stay it's bound to be a mob scene
But, disappear, and it's love and hard times
I loved her the first time I saw her
I know that's an old songwriting cliche
Loved you the first time I saw you
Can't describe it any other way
Any other way
The light of her beauty was warm as a summer day
Clouds of antelope rolled by
No hint of rain to come
In the prairie sky
It's just love, love, love, love, love
When the rains came, the tears burned, windows rattled, locks turned
It's easy to be generous when you're on a roll
It's hard to be grateful when you're out of control
And love is gone
The light at the edge of the curtain
Is the quiet dawn
The bedroom breathes
In clicks and clacks
Uneasy heartbeat, can't relax
But then your hand takes mine
Thank God, I found you in time
Thank God, I found you
Thank God, I found you
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