"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.
Steady woman won't you come on down?
I need you right here on the ground
I've walked the outskirts of this town
Been terrorized by what I've found
I saw a standing virgin bride
Where holy Dionysus died
She tore the heart out from his side
And laid it there, and there she cried
(Whoa's x4)
She said, "Hello, I'm a monster too."
"What poisons me is what poisons you."
Into these animals we grew
(But) When we were young our eyes were blue
I take my medicine on my knee
Twice a day but lately three
Keeps the devil from my door
And it makes me rich and it makes me poor
I'm a beggar in the morning,
I'm a king at night,
My belt is loose,
But my trigger is tight
May come without warning,
At the speed of the light
Make it shine so pretty
Make it shine so bright
I think I've come a long, long way
To stand before you here today
They're yours alone, the songs I play,
To take with you or throw away
Whoa-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o
(Away forever or fade away)
Oh, I want an angel to wipe my tears,
Know my dreams, my hopes, desires and fears
We may capsize, but we won't drown
Hold each other as the sun goes down
I'm a beggar in the morning,
I'm a king at night,
My belt is loose, and
My trigger is tight
May come without warning
At the speed of the light-
Make it shine so pretty,
Make it shine so bright.
I need you right here on the ground
I've walked the outskirts of this town
Been terrorized by what I've found
I saw a standing virgin bride
Where holy Dionysus died
She tore the heart out from his side
And laid it there, and there she cried
(Whoa's x4)
She said, "Hello, I'm a monster too."
"What poisons me is what poisons you."
Into these animals we grew
(But) When we were young our eyes were blue
I take my medicine on my knee
Twice a day but lately three
Keeps the devil from my door
And it makes me rich and it makes me poor
I'm a beggar in the morning,
I'm a king at night,
My belt is loose,
But my trigger is tight
May come without warning,
At the speed of the light
Make it shine so pretty
Make it shine so bright
I think I've come a long, long way
To stand before you here today
They're yours alone, the songs I play,
To take with you or throw away
Whoa-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o
(Away forever or fade away)
Oh, I want an angel to wipe my tears,
Know my dreams, my hopes, desires and fears
We may capsize, but we won't drown
Hold each other as the sun goes down
I'm a beggar in the morning,
I'm a king at night,
My belt is loose, and
My trigger is tight
May come without warning
At the speed of the light-
Make it shine so pretty,
Make it shine so bright.
Lyrics submitted by Colleenbean8
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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"I take my medicine on my knee Twice a day, but lately three Keeps the devil from my door And it makes me rich and it makes me poor"
I think he's talking about playing guitar, which rests on the knee. playing music is medicine for the soul. it keeps our demons away. it makes for a rich inner life and a life of material poverty.
I know it's cliche, but I was thinking drug addiction. He meets someone with problems and they fall into that. Perhaps they also sell drugs to support the habit ("It makes me rich and it makes me poor"). "Belt is loose / Trigger is tight" is that he is easy on himself (belt), but tougher on others (gun). "Beggar in the morning / King at night" would be struggling to make ends meet, and then experiencing euphoria at night. Maybe that is too literal.
@DJgif I'm thinking that he's praying - talking to God, but that's great insight on your part- it does sound like that there is a vice involved - great song - a song that you can interpret it anyway you want - I don't even think how I stumbled across this song and it is a part of my weekly life now!
I'm pretty sure the song is about how being a musician and how loving music can heal your inner child's foibles.