"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.
When I was younger
I seem to remember
Holding a finger while walking to
Mother standing
By ten I could tell her
"I'll love you forever
And I'll tread on the stars just to be with you
Notwithstanding"
When staring into her naked face
Yes, I wished my eyes would never stray
She said why cry little baby
Why cry yeah yeah
Why cry pretty baby
Wipe your eyes yeah yeah
Now I am older
I don't sit on her shoulder
To gaze over worlds that are lower to
The higher standing
Instead I'm staring into your ageless face
Yes, and I wish my eyes will never stray
So why cry little baby
Why cry yeah yeah
Why cry pretty baby
Wipe your eyes yeah yeah
Why should you worry
You know there'll be an answer
When you call
So don't you push or be in a hurry
'Cause learning how to stand
Is why you fall
When I was younger
I seem to remember
Holding a finger while walking to
Mother standing
I seem to remember
Holding a finger while walking to
Mother standing
By ten I could tell her
"I'll love you forever
And I'll tread on the stars just to be with you
Notwithstanding"
When staring into her naked face
Yes, I wished my eyes would never stray
She said why cry little baby
Why cry yeah yeah
Why cry pretty baby
Wipe your eyes yeah yeah
Now I am older
I don't sit on her shoulder
To gaze over worlds that are lower to
The higher standing
Instead I'm staring into your ageless face
Yes, and I wish my eyes will never stray
So why cry little baby
Why cry yeah yeah
Why cry pretty baby
Wipe your eyes yeah yeah
Why should you worry
You know there'll be an answer
When you call
So don't you push or be in a hurry
'Cause learning how to stand
Is why you fall
When I was younger
I seem to remember
Holding a finger while walking to
Mother standing
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
When I Was Younger Lyrics as written by Emmanuel Tunde Baiyewu
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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