"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.
You were looking for a cause when I met you
You'd have pulled down the roof if I had let you
You were pushing me up, you were pulling me down
You had them big ideas spinning round and round
You ain't got no conscience
You're such a kid
You ain't got no manners
You never did
Life, life is a question
It's next to none
Love, love isn't just fun
It makes you run
Standing here, what to say
Holding on, that's the way
Spirits fly, fingers curl
You and I, we, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Before you even start you're like
A work of art
They'll say that you're a liar
So you bet-better buy her ?
It was breaking your heart
And you don't belong
You're such a mess is why we get along
You were making trouble
That was the fun
You were a nasty rebel
You were just a punk
You had a solution
But not this once
Love, love is a question
It makes you run
Standing still, what to say
Holding you, that's the way
Spirits fly, fingers curl
You and I, we, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Standing still, what to say
Holding you, that's the way
Spirits fly, fingers curl
You and I, we, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world.
You'd have pulled down the roof if I had let you
You were pushing me up, you were pulling me down
You had them big ideas spinning round and round
You ain't got no conscience
You're such a kid
You ain't got no manners
You never did
Life, life is a question
It's next to none
Love, love isn't just fun
It makes you run
Standing here, what to say
Holding on, that's the way
Spirits fly, fingers curl
You and I, we, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Before you even start you're like
A work of art
They'll say that you're a liar
So you bet-better buy her ?
It was breaking your heart
And you don't belong
You're such a mess is why we get along
You were making trouble
That was the fun
You were a nasty rebel
You were just a punk
You had a solution
But not this once
Love, love is a question
It makes you run
Standing still, what to say
Holding you, that's the way
Spirits fly, fingers curl
You and I, we, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Standing still, what to say
Holding you, that's the way
Spirits fly, fingers curl
You and I, we, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world
Shocking, we shock the world.
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Shock the World Lyrics as written by Tina Weymouth Christopher Frantz
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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