"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.
Johnny saw her riding on a street car named Desire, his fate was sealed
She could see him coming like a hundred other liars, it was no big deal
Rosa had streets
She was his possession like a jewel on his crown, Johnny better run, better run
Better hide your heart, better hold on tight
Say your prayers, 'cause there's trouble tonight
When pride and love battle with desire
Better hide your heart, 'cause you're playing with fire
The ride was over but the story doesn't end, he took her heart
She looked him in the eye and said they couldn't meet again
You could see the trouble start
The word went out that Rosa's messin' with someone, it was on the street
Tito looked for Johnny with a vengeance and a gun
Johnny better run, better run
Better hide your heart, better hold on tight
Say your prayers, 'cause there's trouble tonight
When pride and love battle with desire
Better hide your heart, 'cause you're playing with fire
Johnny's holdin' Rosa on a rooftop in the night, as time stood still
They couldn't hear him coming 'til he had them both in sight
You could feel a chill
A shot ran out like thunder and the blood was on her hands, with nothing won
When someone lies dying, lovers finally understand
Better hide your heart, better hold on tight
Say your prayers, 'cause there's trouble tonight
When pride and love battle with desire
Better hide your heart, 'cause you're playing with fire
She could see him coming like a hundred other liars, it was no big deal
Rosa had streets
She was his possession like a jewel on his crown, Johnny better run, better run
Better hide your heart, better hold on tight
Say your prayers, 'cause there's trouble tonight
When pride and love battle with desire
Better hide your heart, 'cause you're playing with fire
The ride was over but the story doesn't end, he took her heart
She looked him in the eye and said they couldn't meet again
You could see the trouble start
The word went out that Rosa's messin' with someone, it was on the street
Tito looked for Johnny with a vengeance and a gun
Johnny better run, better run
Better hide your heart, better hold on tight
Say your prayers, 'cause there's trouble tonight
When pride and love battle with desire
Better hide your heart, 'cause you're playing with fire
Johnny's holdin' Rosa on a rooftop in the night, as time stood still
They couldn't hear him coming 'til he had them both in sight
You could feel a chill
A shot ran out like thunder and the blood was on her hands, with nothing won
When someone lies dying, lovers finally understand
Better hide your heart, better hold on tight
Say your prayers, 'cause there's trouble tonight
When pride and love battle with desire
Better hide your heart, 'cause you're playing with fire
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Hide Your Heart Lyrics as written by Holly Knight Desmond Child
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Cloud9
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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