"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.
I went to high school with that kid
He was even strange back then
The type whose eyes don't leave the floor - blend in with the cement
Well, I felt so bad for that kid
One day I saw his face turn green
And as he tumbled to the floor the thought of reaching out never occurred to me
[Chorus:]
Why don't we open up
Knowing that we all falter
When will we learn - to reach out for each other
He lived out on the edge of town
And I'm pretty sure he had a brother
It seemed that boy could walk for days I suspect to avoid his mother
And I always knew he had it bad
Tougher than any of us others did
Still I never asked him how he was doing what could I do - I was just a kid
[Chorus:]
So, now he's the new town bum
He talks to himself and picks up cans all day
And when my kids ask me about him - what'll I say, what'll I say
Why don't we open up
Knowing that we, we all falter
And when will we learn
When will we learn to....
Open up
Knowing that we all falter
When will we learn
(When will we learn)
I said, when will we learn
When will we learn - to reach out for each other
He was even strange back then
The type whose eyes don't leave the floor - blend in with the cement
Well, I felt so bad for that kid
One day I saw his face turn green
And as he tumbled to the floor the thought of reaching out never occurred to me
[Chorus:]
Why don't we open up
Knowing that we all falter
When will we learn - to reach out for each other
He lived out on the edge of town
And I'm pretty sure he had a brother
It seemed that boy could walk for days I suspect to avoid his mother
And I always knew he had it bad
Tougher than any of us others did
Still I never asked him how he was doing what could I do - I was just a kid
[Chorus:]
So, now he's the new town bum
He talks to himself and picks up cans all day
And when my kids ask me about him - what'll I say, what'll I say
Why don't we open up
Knowing that we, we all falter
And when will we learn
When will we learn to....
Open up
Knowing that we all falter
When will we learn
(When will we learn)
I said, when will we learn
When will we learn - to reach out for each other
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Falter Lyrics as written by Lori Mckenna
Lyrics © MELANIE HOWARD MUSIC, INC.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Just A Little Lovin'
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