"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 saw you at the police station and it breaks my heart to say
Your eyes had wandered off to something distant, cold and grey
I guess you didn't see it coming
Someone's gotten used to slumming
Dreaming of the golden years
I see you had to change careers
Far away, but we both know it's somewhere
I saw you on the back page of some free press yesterday
The drift wood in your eyes said nothing short of love for pain
I know you from another picture
Of someone with the most convictions
We used to read the funny papers
Fooled around and pulled some capers
Not today, send a message to her
A message that I'm coming, coming to pursue her
Down your country I rest my face on your bed
I've got you ten times over, I'll chase you down 'til you're dead
I saw you on a TV station and it made me wanna pray
An empty shell of loveliness is now dusted with decay
What happened to the funny paper?
Smiling was your money maker
Someone oughta situate her
Find a way to educate her
All the way, time to come and find you
But you can't hide from me girl, so never mind what I do
Down your country I rest my face on your bed
I bet my sovereign country and I left it all for your head
I saw you in the church and there was no time to exchange
You were getting married and it felt so very strange
I guess I didn't see it coming
And now I guess it's me who's bumming
Dreaming of the golden years
You and I were mixing tears
Not today, not for me but someone
I never could get used to, so now I will refuse to
Down your country I rest my face on your bed
I bet my sovereign country and I left it all for your head
I got my best foot forward and I'll chase you down 'til you're dead
Your eyes had wandered off to something distant, cold and grey
I guess you didn't see it coming
Someone's gotten used to slumming
Dreaming of the golden years
I see you had to change careers
Far away, but we both know it's somewhere
I saw you on the back page of some free press yesterday
The drift wood in your eyes said nothing short of love for pain
I know you from another picture
Of someone with the most convictions
We used to read the funny papers
Fooled around and pulled some capers
Not today, send a message to her
A message that I'm coming, coming to pursue her
Down your country I rest my face on your bed
I've got you ten times over, I'll chase you down 'til you're dead
I saw you on a TV station and it made me wanna pray
An empty shell of loveliness is now dusted with decay
What happened to the funny paper?
Smiling was your money maker
Someone oughta situate her
Find a way to educate her
All the way, time to come and find you
But you can't hide from me girl, so never mind what I do
Down your country I rest my face on your bed
I bet my sovereign country and I left it all for your head
I saw you in the church and there was no time to exchange
You were getting married and it felt so very strange
I guess I didn't see it coming
And now I guess it's me who's bumming
Dreaming of the golden years
You and I were mixing tears
Not today, not for me but someone
I never could get used to, so now I will refuse to
Down your country I rest my face on your bed
I bet my sovereign country and I left it all for your head
I got my best foot forward and I'll chase you down 'til you're dead
Lyrics submitted by aristuma21, edited by Kalico37
Police Station Lyrics as written by Anthony Kiedis Michael Balzary
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Corrections from the lyric booklet:
"I saw you on the back page Of some free press yesterday The driftwood in your eyes Said nothing short of love for pay"
"Down home country I rest my face on your bed"
"I met my soul mate country And I left it all for your head"