"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 don't wanna be her
I just wanna be little old me
I shouldn't have to think
Who am I supposed to be today
And what gave you the right
To tell me who I should be
Who gave you that right
'Cause I feel lovely just the way that I am
Yes I feel lovely the way that I am
I know you want the best
Yeah only good things for me
But you have to realize
I can't be all these things
You project on me
'Cause I'm beautiful to me
Doesn't that mean a thing
'Cause I feel lovely just the way that I am
Yes I feel lovely the way that I am
I need that to be enough for you
I need that to be enough for you
'Cause it's enough for me
It's enough for me
Am I supposed to give up everything I am
Just to make you happy
Thought I was the one you always wanted me to be
It turns out
I'm just little old me
And that's fine by me
'Cause I am lovely just the way that I am
Yes I am lovely the way that I am
I just wanna be little old me
I shouldn't have to think
Who am I supposed to be today
And what gave you the right
To tell me who I should be
Who gave you that right
'Cause I feel lovely just the way that I am
Yes I feel lovely the way that I am
I know you want the best
Yeah only good things for me
But you have to realize
I can't be all these things
You project on me
'Cause I'm beautiful to me
Doesn't that mean a thing
'Cause I feel lovely just the way that I am
Yes I feel lovely the way that I am
I need that to be enough for you
I need that to be enough for you
'Cause it's enough for me
It's enough for me
Am I supposed to give up everything I am
Just to make you happy
Thought I was the one you always wanted me to be
It turns out
I'm just little old me
And that's fine by me
'Cause I am lovely just the way that I am
Yes I am lovely the way that I am
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I cant tell if this song is depressing or inspiring.
I think this song is about how you shouldn't let other people tell you what to be, but just be yourself. Don't change who you are to please another person, because if they are right for you, they will like you for who you really are. Love who you are :)