"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.
Like the beat, beat, beat of the tom tom
When the jungle shadows fall
Like the tick, tick, tock of the stately clock
As it stands against the wall
Like the drip, drip, drip of the raindrops
When the summer show'are is through
So a voice within me keeps repeating
You, you, you
Night and day
You are the one
Only you 'neath the moon
Or under the sun
Whether near to me or far
No matter, darling where you are
I think of you
Night and day
Day and night
Why it is so
That this longing for you
Follows wherever I go
In the roarin' traffic's boom
In the silence of my lonely room
I think of you
Night and day
Night and day
Under the hide of me
There's an oh such a hungry
Yearnin' burnin' inside of me
And it's torment won't be through
'Til you let me spend my life
Making love to you
Day and night
Night and day
When the jungle shadows fall
Like the tick, tick, tock of the stately clock
As it stands against the wall
Like the drip, drip, drip of the raindrops
When the summer show'are is through
So a voice within me keeps repeating
You, you, you
Night and day
You are the one
Only you 'neath the moon
Or under the sun
Whether near to me or far
No matter, darling where you are
I think of you
Night and day
Day and night
Why it is so
That this longing for you
Follows wherever I go
In the roarin' traffic's boom
In the silence of my lonely room
I think of you
Night and day
Night and day
Under the hide of me
There's an oh such a hungry
Yearnin' burnin' inside of me
And it's torment won't be through
'Til you let me spend my life
Making love to you
Day and night
Night and day
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Night And Day Lyrics as written by Cole Porter
Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, Red Brick Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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Fast Car
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Great version of a great song,
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