"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.
Hey, John, you evah been to Mississippi?
No, man, but I sure would like to visit down there.
You would?
Well, I'll tell you what then, let us hop on a plane and went.
O-kay, I hear it's very nice.
It is, it is.
When the sun goes down
The tide goes out
The people gather 'round
And they all begin to shout.
What?
Hey, hey, Uncle Dud
It's a treat to beat your feet
On the Mississippi Mud.
It's a treat to beat your feet
On the Mississippi Mud.
And what a dance do they do
Lordy, how I'm tellin' you
Why, they don't need no band
They keep time by clappin their hand.
Just as happy as a cow
Chewin' on a cud
When the people beat their feet
On the Mississippi Mud.
Lordy, how they play it
Goodness, how they sway it
There's Uncle George and cousin Jack
Look at those fools peckin' on their back.
What joy!
That music thrills me.
It do.
Boy, it nearly kills me
Sister Kate hollers, "Son!"
You sure get muddy
But, it's mighty good fun
When the sun goes down
The tide goes out
The people gather round
And they all begin to shout.
Hey, Hey, Uncle Dud
It's a treat to beat your feet
On the Mississippi Mud
It's a treat to beat your feet
On the Mississippi Mud.
What a dance do they do
Lordy, how I'm tellin' you
They don't need no band
They don't?
They keep time by clappin' their hand
I see.
Just as happy as a cow
Chewing on a cud
When the people beat their feet
Yeah! Yeah!
And the people clap their hand
On the M I double S I double S I double P I mud.
An "A" for spelling.
No, man, but I sure would like to visit down there.
You would?
Well, I'll tell you what then, let us hop on a plane and went.
O-kay, I hear it's very nice.
It is, it is.
When the sun goes down
The tide goes out
The people gather 'round
And they all begin to shout.
What?
Hey, hey, Uncle Dud
It's a treat to beat your feet
On the Mississippi Mud.
It's a treat to beat your feet
On the Mississippi Mud.
And what a dance do they do
Lordy, how I'm tellin' you
Why, they don't need no band
They keep time by clappin their hand.
Just as happy as a cow
Chewin' on a cud
When the people beat their feet
On the Mississippi Mud.
Lordy, how they play it
Goodness, how they sway it
There's Uncle George and cousin Jack
Look at those fools peckin' on their back.
What joy!
That music thrills me.
It do.
Boy, it nearly kills me
Sister Kate hollers, "Son!"
You sure get muddy
But, it's mighty good fun
When the sun goes down
The tide goes out
The people gather round
And they all begin to shout.
Hey, Hey, Uncle Dud
It's a treat to beat your feet
On the Mississippi Mud
It's a treat to beat your feet
On the Mississippi Mud.
What a dance do they do
Lordy, how I'm tellin' you
They don't need no band
They don't?
They keep time by clappin' their hand
I see.
Just as happy as a cow
Chewing on a cud
When the people beat their feet
Yeah! Yeah!
And the people clap their hand
On the M I double S I double S I double P I mud.
An "A" for spelling.
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Mississippi Mud Lyrics as written by James Cavanaugh Harry Barris
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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