"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.
What am I doing here?
In the setting sun
With the windows down
What am I?
Like a breaking bell
Ringing like a sigh
What am I doing here?
What am I?
Somebody save me
It's just too much pain
If someone can save me
Come the morning, I will remain
Somebody save me, save me
In the early dawn
With your heavy bend
And your careless heart
Where you been?
From the windows of
Just another midnight bar
You remember everything
Everything's so far
Somebody save me
I just can't go on
If someone don't save me
By the morning I will be gone
By the morning I will be gone
Somebody save me, save me
What am I doing here?
In the setting sun
With the windows down
What am I?
Like a breaking bell
Ringing like a sigh
What am I doing here?
What am I?
Somebody save me
It's just too much pain
If someone can save me
Come the morning, I will remain
Somebody save me, save me
In the early dawn
With your heavy bend
And your careless heart
Where you been?
From the windows of
Just another midnight bar
You remember everything
Everything's so far
Somebody save me
I just can't go on
If someone don't save me
By the morning I will be gone
By the morning I will be gone
Somebody save me, save me
What am I doing here?
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Page
Ed Sheeran
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I'm not sure if the second line of the second verse is correct. I settled on "bend" as if whomever the subject of the song is about is on a heavy drinking or drug binge, as in a bender. I figured it made sense within the context of the song, but I'm not entirely sure it's correct. If someone has something different once the album comes out message me and I'll fix it.