"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.
When I stay up all night, she's always walkin' by my side
When I'm itchin' for a drag, she always passes me the bag
We eat dead dogs on the street, chew a hole until it bleeds
Ketchup oozing down the meat, dripping blood onto our feet
Trade a tab and see which one peaks sooner
Watch it spiral down into the sewer
Piss and paint it's flowing red and bluer
We never spoke words any truer
I can't wait to leave this town, drop my lighter, burn it down
Finish up this blackened hash, leave my footprints in the ash
We cut dogs off at the feet, watch for witches while they bleed
Ketchup oozing down the street, dripping drugs drowned deep in me
Read the raptors washed up on the shore
Leave the little bastards on the floor
Come to the window where the wind blows
Try to figure out just where the sun goes
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la la la la
We cut dogs off at the feet, watch for witches while they bleed
Ketchup oozing down the street, dripping drugs drowned deep in me
We eat dead dogs on the street, even though I know they're not good for me
Ketchup oozing down the meat, dripping blood onto our feet
When I'm itchin' for a drag, she always passes me the bag
We eat dead dogs on the street, chew a hole until it bleeds
Ketchup oozing down the meat, dripping blood onto our feet
Trade a tab and see which one peaks sooner
Watch it spiral down into the sewer
Piss and paint it's flowing red and bluer
We never spoke words any truer
I can't wait to leave this town, drop my lighter, burn it down
Finish up this blackened hash, leave my footprints in the ash
We cut dogs off at the feet, watch for witches while they bleed
Ketchup oozing down the street, dripping drugs drowned deep in me
Read the raptors washed up on the shore
Leave the little bastards on the floor
Come to the window where the wind blows
Try to figure out just where the sun goes
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la la la la
We cut dogs off at the feet, watch for witches while they bleed
Ketchup oozing down the street, dripping drugs drowned deep in me
We eat dead dogs on the street, even though I know they're not good for me
Ketchup oozing down the meat, dripping blood onto our feet
Lyrics submitted by sister
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Fast Car
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