"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.
Run little crooked river, run
Down the mountainside from whence you've come
Never turn around to look behind me
Travel safe and swiftly through the pine trees
Run little crooked river, run
(hum)
Flow little crooked river, flow
Never mind which way the wind will blow
Keep a steady pace about your course
Overtake each pass but use no force
Flow little crooked river flow
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
oh, oh
Rush little crooked river, rush
In between the elms and through the brush
Carry sticks and twigs upon your back
Tumble, turn and loose no track
Rush little crooked river rush
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
oh, oh
Wind little crooked river, wind
Wind until the open sea you find
Marvel your arrival in the clean air
Do take time to breathe in when you get there
Wind little crooked river, wind
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
oh, oh
Down the mountainside from whence you've come
Never turn around to look behind me
Travel safe and swiftly through the pine trees
Run little crooked river, run
(hum)
Flow little crooked river, flow
Never mind which way the wind will blow
Keep a steady pace about your course
Overtake each pass but use no force
Flow little crooked river flow
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
oh, oh
Rush little crooked river, rush
In between the elms and through the brush
Carry sticks and twigs upon your back
Tumble, turn and loose no track
Rush little crooked river rush
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
oh, oh
Wind little crooked river, wind
Wind until the open sea you find
Marvel your arrival in the clean air
Do take time to breathe in when you get there
Wind little crooked river, wind
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
oh, oh
Lyrics submitted by bearfoot
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