"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.
Baby here I am by the railroad track
Waitin' for my baby, he's comin' back
Comin' back to me on the 503
Ooh and it won't be long, no it won't be long
I get so lonesome since my man's been gone
There ain't a thing worth mentioning
Nothin' goin' on and that's why I know when the whistle blows
That it won't be long, no won't be long
My daddy told me when he said goodbye, yes, he did
I'll be back baby, oh baby bye and bye
That's why I've waited so doggone long, yeah
Can't you see how happy I am because my man is comin' home?
So now here I'll be by the railroad track
Oh, waitin' for my baby
He's comin' back, comin' back to me on the 503
Yeah, and it won't be long, no it won't be long
I ain't had no lovin' since you know when
He's a lone old rooster and I'm a lonesome hen
That's why I'm sure when the whistle blows
Ooh, that it won't be long, no it won't be long
I'm so excited my knees are shakin', yeah
Mr. Engineer don't you keep me waitin'
Hear me tellin' you hurry, hurry
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry
Baby, here I am on the railroad track
Ooh, waitin' for my baby, he's comin' back
Comin' back to me on the 503, yeah
And it won't be long, no it won't be long
I know, oh when the whistle blows, yeah
That it won't be long, no it won't be long
I know, oh when the whistle blows
That it won't be long, no it won't be long
Waitin' for my baby, he's comin' back
Comin' back to me on the 503
Ooh and it won't be long, no it won't be long
I get so lonesome since my man's been gone
There ain't a thing worth mentioning
Nothin' goin' on and that's why I know when the whistle blows
That it won't be long, no won't be long
My daddy told me when he said goodbye, yes, he did
I'll be back baby, oh baby bye and bye
That's why I've waited so doggone long, yeah
Can't you see how happy I am because my man is comin' home?
So now here I'll be by the railroad track
Oh, waitin' for my baby
He's comin' back, comin' back to me on the 503
Yeah, and it won't be long, no it won't be long
I ain't had no lovin' since you know when
He's a lone old rooster and I'm a lonesome hen
That's why I'm sure when the whistle blows
Ooh, that it won't be long, no it won't be long
I'm so excited my knees are shakin', yeah
Mr. Engineer don't you keep me waitin'
Hear me tellin' you hurry, hurry
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry
Baby, here I am on the railroad track
Ooh, waitin' for my baby, he's comin' back
Comin' back to me on the 503, yeah
And it won't be long, no it won't be long
I know, oh when the whistle blows, yeah
That it won't be long, no it won't be long
I know, oh when the whistle blows
That it won't be long, no it won't be long
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Won't Be Long Lyrics as written by Arlo Guthrie
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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