"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.
Give me shelter
I would do the same for you
I can dress you up with them
I need strangers
Sometimes I just run and hide
Sometimes I just lose my cool
It gets better
It could be a whole lot worse
Tell me that you like my hair
Take your coat off
You can stay a little while
You can stay over all night
I don’t mind, dear
We could have a bit of fun
We could sell shit in the streets
Please stop coughing
I just laughed my nose right off
As you made my face all numb
You were melting
Go all the way almost
And please stop coughing
Just settle down and…
Annie could you love me
Sweetheart can you hear me
Are you even listening?
I don’t sleep well
I just stay awake all night
Worrying about my friends
In her photos
Then she’s stripping off her mask
‘Cause she’s easily attached
I fell backwards
Then I lost my appetite
About the time I met you there
Let me love her
I could use a life like that
I could spend less time on pills
I would do the same for you
I can dress you up with them
I need strangers
Sometimes I just run and hide
Sometimes I just lose my cool
It gets better
It could be a whole lot worse
Tell me that you like my hair
Take your coat off
You can stay a little while
You can stay over all night
I don’t mind, dear
We could have a bit of fun
We could sell shit in the streets
Please stop coughing
I just laughed my nose right off
As you made my face all numb
You were melting
Go all the way almost
And please stop coughing
Just settle down and…
Annie could you love me
Sweetheart can you hear me
Are you even listening?
I don’t sleep well
I just stay awake all night
Worrying about my friends
In her photos
Then she’s stripping off her mask
‘Cause she’s easily attached
I fell backwards
Then I lost my appetite
About the time I met you there
Let me love her
I could use a life like that
I could spend less time on pills
Lyrics submitted by preteenjesus
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Little Feat
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Amazing
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American Town
Ed Sheeran
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