"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.
Can't stay out late, can't have no fun, twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
Folks say you have to be twenty one, twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
I'll have a dance, you just wait and see
Oh I'll be twenty one and fancy free
Wo wo wo wo wo wo hey, twenty one, twenty one
Can't go steady, can't even have a date, twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
How in the world will I ever find a mate? twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
I'll have a dance, I'll be twenty one, yeah
They're out fun, here I am
Wo wo wo wo wo wo hey, twenty one, twenty one
When my twenty onest birthday finally comes, oh yeah
I'm gonna sound the bugles, beat the drums
I'm gonna stay out all night; I won't even go to bed
I'm gonna find me a paintbrush, hah, and paint the whole town red, yeah
I'll get married and raise a family, twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
All my kids are gonna look like me, twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
They'll grow up and get carefree
I'll tell them like they told me: uh uh!
No no no no no no hey, twenty one, twenty one
Folks say you have to be twenty one, twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
I'll have a dance, you just wait and see
Oh I'll be twenty one and fancy free
Wo wo wo wo wo wo hey, twenty one, twenty one
Can't go steady, can't even have a date, twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
How in the world will I ever find a mate? twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
I'll have a dance, I'll be twenty one, yeah
They're out fun, here I am
Wo wo wo wo wo wo hey, twenty one, twenty one
When my twenty onest birthday finally comes, oh yeah
I'm gonna sound the bugles, beat the drums
I'm gonna stay out all night; I won't even go to bed
I'm gonna find me a paintbrush, hah, and paint the whole town red, yeah
I'll get married and raise a family, twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
All my kids are gonna look like me, twenty one (twenty one, la la la la oh)
They'll grow up and get carefree
I'll tell them like they told me: uh uh!
No no no no no no hey, twenty one, twenty one
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Twenty-One Lyrics as written by Mike Hanks Dixon
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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