"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 a bird on the wire,
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free
Like a worm on a hook
Like a knight from an old fashioned book
I have saved all my ribbons for thee
If I, I been so unkind,
I hope that you just let it all go by
If I, I been so untrue
I hope you know it was never to you.
Like a baby, stillborn,
Like a beast with his horn
I've torn everyone who reached out for me.
But I swear by this song
And all that I have done wrong
I'll make it all up to you.
Don't cry, don't cry, anymore
It's over now baby, don't cry no more
Don't cry, don't cry anymore
It's over now baby, don't cry no more
Like a bird on a wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free
Like a worm on a hook
Like a knight from an old fashioned book
I have saved all my ribbons for thee
If I, I been so unkind,
I hope that you just let it all go by
If I, I been so untrue
I hope you know it was never to you.
Like a baby, stillborn,
Like a beast with his horn
I've torn everyone who reached out for me.
But I swear by this song
And all that I have done wrong
I'll make it all up to you.
Don't cry, don't cry, anymore
It's over now baby, don't cry no more
Don't cry, don't cry anymore
It's over now baby, don't cry no more
Like a bird on a wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free.
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Bird on a Wire Lyrics as written by Leonard Cohen
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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