"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.
Once I build a railroad, made it run
Made it race against time
Once I build a railroad, now it's done
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower to the sun
Brick and rivet and lime
Once I built a tower, now it's done
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits, gee, we looked swell
Full of that Yankee Doodle De dumb
Half a million boots went slogging through hell
I was the kid with the drum
Say don't you remember, they called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say don't you remember, I'm your pal
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits, gee, we looked swell
Full of that Yankee doodle de dumb
Half a million boots went slogging through hell
I was the kid with the drum
Say don't you remember, they called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say don't you remember, I'm your pal
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Buddy, can you spare a dime?
Made it race against time
Once I build a railroad, now it's done
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower to the sun
Brick and rivet and lime
Once I built a tower, now it's done
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits, gee, we looked swell
Full of that Yankee Doodle De dumb
Half a million boots went slogging through hell
I was the kid with the drum
Say don't you remember, they called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say don't you remember, I'm your pal
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits, gee, we looked swell
Full of that Yankee doodle de dumb
Half a million boots went slogging through hell
I was the kid with the drum
Say don't you remember, they called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say don't you remember, I'm your pal
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Buddy, can you spare a dime?
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Brother Can You Spare a Dime Lyrics as written by Jay Gorney E. Y. Harburg
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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