"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.
We sailed out of Dunmore Michelmas gone by
Cowhides and wool and live cargo
Twenty young Wild Geese ready fledged to fly
Sailing for the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Sailing for the lowlands low
Sean Rouse the skipper from the church of Crook
Piery keeps log for his father
Crew all from Bannow, Fethard and the Hook
Sailing for the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Sailing for the lowlands low
Ready with priming we'd our galliot gun
Muskets and pikes in good order
We should be riddled captives would be none
Death or else the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Death or else the lowlands low
A pirate approached us many leagues from shore
We fought and we sunk him in good order
He'll go a-roving plundering no more
Sailing for the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Sailing for the lowlands low
We smuggled out the Wild Geese weapons safe ashore
Then we unloaded our cargo
A fair wind is blowing we're headed for Dunmore
Sailing from the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Sailing from the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Sailing from the lowlands low
Cowhides and wool and live cargo
Twenty young Wild Geese ready fledged to fly
Sailing for the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Sailing for the lowlands low
Sean Rouse the skipper from the church of Crook
Piery keeps log for his father
Crew all from Bannow, Fethard and the Hook
Sailing for the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Sailing for the lowlands low
Ready with priming we'd our galliot gun
Muskets and pikes in good order
We should be riddled captives would be none
Death or else the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Death or else the lowlands low
A pirate approached us many leagues from shore
We fought and we sunk him in good order
He'll go a-roving plundering no more
Sailing for the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Sailing for the lowlands low
We smuggled out the Wild Geese weapons safe ashore
Then we unloaded our cargo
A fair wind is blowing we're headed for Dunmore
Sailing from the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Sailing from the lowlands low
The lowlands low, the lowlands low
Sailing from the lowlands low
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Lowlands Lyrics as written by Pd Traditional J Baird
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Silent Planet
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Plastic Bag
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