"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're caught in a trouble you mangy pup
Now how you gonna brag about a bad bringin' up
Your pappy was a hound dog son of a gun
You know what they say about a father and son
Stray dog you're just like me (stray dog)
You ain't nothin' more now than you're ever gonna be
Yeah your big long ear's about chewed off
I guess you been a fightin' with the big dog boss
Now you ain't asked if they invented the lift
I'm a forty feet up and I'm a countin' your ribs
Hey stray dog you're a lover boy too (stray dog)
There's a puppy down the street looks just like you
Well I wonder where you've been you're a terrible sight
You must've had a litter off the floor last night
Well I know how you're feelin' I wish I could help
But I got a lotta troubles as ever myself
Hey stray dog you ramblin' fool (stray dog)
But I know how you're feelin' I'm a stray dog too
Yeah you're just like me you're a hurtin' pal I left my home and I left my gal
Yeah I'm lonesome but I ain't a gonna change
Cause I just can't wear a collar and a chain
Stray dog you're just like me (stray dog)
You ain't nothin' more now than you're ever gonna be
No you ain't nothin' more now than you're ever gonna be (stray dog)
You ain't nothin' more now than you're ever gonna be
Now how you gonna brag about a bad bringin' up
Your pappy was a hound dog son of a gun
You know what they say about a father and son
Stray dog you're just like me (stray dog)
You ain't nothin' more now than you're ever gonna be
Yeah your big long ear's about chewed off
I guess you been a fightin' with the big dog boss
Now you ain't asked if they invented the lift
I'm a forty feet up and I'm a countin' your ribs
Hey stray dog you're a lover boy too (stray dog)
There's a puppy down the street looks just like you
Well I wonder where you've been you're a terrible sight
You must've had a litter off the floor last night
Well I know how you're feelin' I wish I could help
But I got a lotta troubles as ever myself
Hey stray dog you ramblin' fool (stray dog)
But I know how you're feelin' I'm a stray dog too
Yeah you're just like me you're a hurtin' pal I left my home and I left my gal
Yeah I'm lonesome but I ain't a gonna change
Cause I just can't wear a collar and a chain
Stray dog you're just like me (stray dog)
You ain't nothin' more now than you're ever gonna be
No you ain't nothin' more now than you're ever gonna be (stray dog)
You ain't nothin' more now than you're ever gonna be
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Stray Dog Lyrics as written by Hall Gray
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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