"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.
WHO DO YOU THINK
SHE DOES THE DISHES, FOLDS THE CLOTHES, WIPES THE SPILLS OF THE FLOOR
CUP OF COFFEE EVERY MORNING ON HER WAY OUT THE DOOR
GOES TO WORKS, COOKS THE MEALS AND SHE STILL FINDS TIME
TO TUCK ‘EM IN WITH BEDTIME PRAYER EVERYNIGHT
AT HER SECOND JOB THERE’S NO OVERTIME PAY
BUT YOU’LL NEVER ONCE HEAR HER COMPLAIN
TOMORROW MORNING SHE’LL DO IT ALL AGAIN
CHORUS 1
WHO DO YOU THINK SHE’S THINKING OF
WHEN SHE GIVES IT ALL FOR THE ONE SHE LOVES
SHE DON’T FORGET EVERYTHING THAT MATTERS
SHE LIVES TO LOVE FROM HERE ON AFTER
WHO DO YOU THINK
WHO DO YOU THINK SHE’S THINKING OF
A YOUNG MAN AND HIS WIFE ON A WEEKEND TRIP
STOPPED IN FOR SOME GAS AND BAG OF CHIPS
WHEN A GUY WITH A GUN CAME THROUGH THE DOOR
YELLING GIVE ME THE CASH, HIT THE FLOOR
WHILE HE WAS WAIVING THAT GUN AND HIS ANGER AROUND
SOMETHING CAME OVER THAT BOY WITH HIS WIFE ON THE GROUND
HE TOOK A STAND RIGHT THEN AND THERE
WHO DO YOU THINK HE WAS THINKING OF
WHEN HE GAVE IT ALL FOR THE ONE HE LOVES
HE COULDN’T FORGET EVERYTHING THAT MATTERED
HE LIVED TO LOVE HER FROM THEN ON AFTER
WHO DO YOU THINK
WHO DO YOU THINK HE WAS THINKING OF
HE WAS INNOCENT
BUT HE SAID FATHER FORGIVE THEM
AS WE NAILED HIM TO A TREE
WHO DO YOU THINK HE WAS THINKING OF
WHEN HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR THE ONES HE LOVES
HE NEVER FORGOT EVERYTHING THAT MATTERED
HE DIED TO LOVE US FROM THEN ON AFTER
WHO DO YOU THINK
WHO DO YOU THINK HE WAS THINKING OF
©Jim Anthony Music 2013
SHE DOES THE DISHES, FOLDS THE CLOTHES, WIPES THE SPILLS OF THE FLOOR
CUP OF COFFEE EVERY MORNING ON HER WAY OUT THE DOOR
GOES TO WORKS, COOKS THE MEALS AND SHE STILL FINDS TIME
TO TUCK ‘EM IN WITH BEDTIME PRAYER EVERYNIGHT
AT HER SECOND JOB THERE’S NO OVERTIME PAY
BUT YOU’LL NEVER ONCE HEAR HER COMPLAIN
TOMORROW MORNING SHE’LL DO IT ALL AGAIN
CHORUS 1
WHO DO YOU THINK SHE’S THINKING OF
WHEN SHE GIVES IT ALL FOR THE ONE SHE LOVES
SHE DON’T FORGET EVERYTHING THAT MATTERS
SHE LIVES TO LOVE FROM HERE ON AFTER
WHO DO YOU THINK
WHO DO YOU THINK SHE’S THINKING OF
A YOUNG MAN AND HIS WIFE ON A WEEKEND TRIP
STOPPED IN FOR SOME GAS AND BAG OF CHIPS
WHEN A GUY WITH A GUN CAME THROUGH THE DOOR
YELLING GIVE ME THE CASH, HIT THE FLOOR
WHILE HE WAS WAIVING THAT GUN AND HIS ANGER AROUND
SOMETHING CAME OVER THAT BOY WITH HIS WIFE ON THE GROUND
HE TOOK A STAND RIGHT THEN AND THERE
WHO DO YOU THINK HE WAS THINKING OF
WHEN HE GAVE IT ALL FOR THE ONE HE LOVES
HE COULDN’T FORGET EVERYTHING THAT MATTERED
HE LIVED TO LOVE HER FROM THEN ON AFTER
WHO DO YOU THINK
WHO DO YOU THINK HE WAS THINKING OF
HE WAS INNOCENT
BUT HE SAID FATHER FORGIVE THEM
AS WE NAILED HIM TO A TREE
WHO DO YOU THINK HE WAS THINKING OF
WHEN HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR THE ONES HE LOVES
HE NEVER FORGOT EVERYTHING THAT MATTERED
HE DIED TO LOVE US FROM THEN ON AFTER
WHO DO YOU THINK
WHO DO YOU THINK HE WAS THINKING OF
©Jim Anthony Music 2013
Lyrics submitted by Nanchatte
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