"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.
Oh, no cannonballs did fly, no rifles cut us down
No bombs fell from the sky, no blood soaked the ground
No powder flash blinded the eye, no deathly thunder sound
But just as sure as the hand of God, they brought death to my hometown
They brought death to my hometown
No shells ripped the evening sky, no cities burning down
No armies stormed the shores for which we’d die
No dictators were crowned
I awoke from a quite night, I never heard a sound
Marauders raided in the dark and brought death to my hometown, buys
Death to my hometown
They destroyed our families’ factories and they took our homes
They left our bodies on the plains, the vultures picked our bones
So listen up, my sonny boy, be ready for when they come
For they’ll be returning sure as the rising sun
Now get yourself a song to sing and sing it ’til you’re done
Yeah, sing it hard and sing it well
Send the robber barons straight to hell
The greedy thieves who came around
And ate the flesh of everything they found
Whose crimes have gone unpunished now
Who walk the streets as free men now
Ah, they brought death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, whoa!
No bombs fell from the sky, no blood soaked the ground
No powder flash blinded the eye, no deathly thunder sound
But just as sure as the hand of God, they brought death to my hometown
They brought death to my hometown
No shells ripped the evening sky, no cities burning down
No armies stormed the shores for which we’d die
No dictators were crowned
I awoke from a quite night, I never heard a sound
Marauders raided in the dark and brought death to my hometown, buys
Death to my hometown
They destroyed our families’ factories and they took our homes
They left our bodies on the plains, the vultures picked our bones
So listen up, my sonny boy, be ready for when they come
For they’ll be returning sure as the rising sun
Now get yourself a song to sing and sing it ’til you’re done
Yeah, sing it hard and sing it well
Send the robber barons straight to hell
The greedy thieves who came around
And ate the flesh of everything they found
Whose crimes have gone unpunished now
Who walk the streets as free men now
Ah, they brought death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, whoa!
Lyrics submitted by shannakett99, edited by ccccccc
Death to My Hometown Lyrics as written by Bruce Springsteen
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Death to My Hometown" alludes to the current global financial crisis.
Mr. Springsteen uses Celtic rhythms (even a touch of an accent in his voice) to give the effect of an old war anthem, while pointing out that while "marauders" come in different forms than you are used to, the result is the same: death to your hometown.
You've been warned.
I think this song (in my opinion seems obvious) concerns the recent housing debacle, and all the foreclosures that are going on destroying neighborhoods and homes all over the United States. That homes and towns are vacant, when there isn't a war or other catastophe to blame. That the bankers who committed the current housing crisis have committed crimes, yet its been covered up, ignored and un-punished. Very good catchy song. Thoughts?
This song is about a guy named James Johnson who is still walking the streets with Barney Frank and Barack Obama. There is a war raging and most don't know or won't care until they have to move out of their own Detroit.
As the concept album proceeds, bankers are taking care of their own for easy money. Blue collared people felt the burden - felt like shackled and drawn. Even they tried to become Jack of All trades to survive, the hometown or globally financial market melt down. With the depression sinks in, you can hear more of anger from Bruce/ blue collared people in each song as the album progresses. Awesome listen and you need to listen the whole album in the order.
Not Bruce's best work - this song is far too strident in its faux-populist self-righteousness. He's better sticking to songs about the human condition and leave all of the politicking behind. And incidentally, there is someone to blame, and that's our elected officials in Washington, the ones who have systematically run down our economy and country.
Nope, you're thinking to big. You are obviously from a large city. It is about the "little man" from a smaller town.
"leave all of the politicking behind"<br /> <br /> What's your opinion on Born in the USA then?
My opinion is that Born in the USA is a great album, tekjansen09.