"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.
Bust it
This here's a tale for all the fellas
Tryin' to do what those ladies tell us
Get shot down 'cause you're over zealous
Play hard to get, females get jealous
Okay smartie, go to a party
Girls are scantily clad and showin' body
A chick walks by, you wish you could sex her
But you're standin' on the wall like you was Poindexter
Next day's function, high class luncheon
Food is served, and you're stone cold munchin'
Music comes on, people start to dance
But then you ate so much, you nearly split your pants
A girl starts walkin', guys start gawkin'
Sits down next to you and starts talkin'
Said she wanna dance 'cause she likes the groove
So come on, fatso, and just bust a move
Uh, hey, ya, uh, uh, hey, ya
Just bust a move
Uh, hey, uh, ya, uh, hey, ya, uh, uh
You're on a mission and you're wishin'
Someone could cure your lonely condition
Lookin' for love in all the wrong places
No fine girls, just ugly faces
From frustration, first inclination
Is to become a monk and leave the situation
But every dark tunnel has a light of hope
So don't hang yourself with a celibate rope
Your movie's showin', so you're goin'
Could care less about the five you're blowin'
Theater gets dark just to start the show
And then you spot a fine woman sittin' in your row
She's dressed in yellow, she says "Hello
Come sit next to me, you fine fellow"
You run over there without a second to lose
And what comes next, hey bust a move
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
Just bust a move
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
In the city, ladies look pretty
Guys tell jokes so they can seem witty
Tell a funny joke just to get some play
Then you try to make a move and she says, "no way"
Girls are fakin', goodness sakin'
They want a man who brings home the bacon
Got no money, and you got no car
Then you got no woman, and there you are
Some girls are sadistic, materialistic
Looking for a man makes them opportunistic
They're lyin' on the beach perpetratin' a tan
So that a brother with the money can be their man
So on the beach you're strollin', real high rollin'
Everything you have is yours and not stolen
A girl runs up with somethin' to prove
So don't just stand there, bust a move
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
Just bust a move
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
Break it down for me, fellas
Huh, hey, ya, uh, huh, ooh, hey, ya
Uh, uh, hey, ya, ee, uh, uh, uh, ya
Your best friend Harry has a brother Larry
In five days from now he's gonna marry
He's hopin' you can make it there if you can
'Cause in the ceremony you'll be the best man
You say "neato," check your libido
And roll to the church in your new tuxedo
The bride walks down just to start the wedding
And there's one more girl you won't be getting
So you start thinkin', then you start blinkin'
A bride maid looks and thinks that you're winkin'
She thinks you're kinda cute so she winks back
And then you're feelin' really fine 'cause the girl is stacked
Reception's jumpin, bass is pumpin'
Look at the girl, and your heart starts thumpin'
Says she wants to dance to a different groove
Now you know what to do, G, bust a move
You want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
Just bust a move
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
Move it, boy
Uh, uh, uh, hey, uh, uh, ya, uh
Huh, hey, huh, hey, uh, uh, hey, ya, ya
This here's a tale for all the fellas
Tryin' to do what those ladies tell us
Get shot down 'cause you're over zealous
Play hard to get, females get jealous
Okay smartie, go to a party
Girls are scantily clad and showin' body
A chick walks by, you wish you could sex her
But you're standin' on the wall like you was Poindexter
Next day's function, high class luncheon
Food is served, and you're stone cold munchin'
Music comes on, people start to dance
But then you ate so much, you nearly split your pants
A girl starts walkin', guys start gawkin'
Sits down next to you and starts talkin'
Said she wanna dance 'cause she likes the groove
So come on, fatso, and just bust a move
Uh, hey, ya, uh, uh, hey, ya
Just bust a move
Uh, hey, uh, ya, uh, hey, ya, uh, uh
You're on a mission and you're wishin'
Someone could cure your lonely condition
Lookin' for love in all the wrong places
No fine girls, just ugly faces
From frustration, first inclination
Is to become a monk and leave the situation
But every dark tunnel has a light of hope
So don't hang yourself with a celibate rope
Your movie's showin', so you're goin'
Could care less about the five you're blowin'
Theater gets dark just to start the show
And then you spot a fine woman sittin' in your row
She's dressed in yellow, she says "Hello
Come sit next to me, you fine fellow"
You run over there without a second to lose
And what comes next, hey bust a move
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
Just bust a move
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
In the city, ladies look pretty
Guys tell jokes so they can seem witty
Tell a funny joke just to get some play
Then you try to make a move and she says, "no way"
Girls are fakin', goodness sakin'
They want a man who brings home the bacon
Got no money, and you got no car
Then you got no woman, and there you are
Some girls are sadistic, materialistic
Looking for a man makes them opportunistic
They're lyin' on the beach perpetratin' a tan
So that a brother with the money can be their man
So on the beach you're strollin', real high rollin'
Everything you have is yours and not stolen
A girl runs up with somethin' to prove
So don't just stand there, bust a move
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
Just bust a move
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
Break it down for me, fellas
Huh, hey, ya, uh, huh, ooh, hey, ya
Uh, uh, hey, ya, ee, uh, uh, uh, ya
Your best friend Harry has a brother Larry
In five days from now he's gonna marry
He's hopin' you can make it there if you can
'Cause in the ceremony you'll be the best man
You say "neato," check your libido
And roll to the church in your new tuxedo
The bride walks down just to start the wedding
And there's one more girl you won't be getting
So you start thinkin', then you start blinkin'
A bride maid looks and thinks that you're winkin'
She thinks you're kinda cute so she winks back
And then you're feelin' really fine 'cause the girl is stacked
Reception's jumpin, bass is pumpin'
Look at the girl, and your heart starts thumpin'
Says she wants to dance to a different groove
Now you know what to do, G, bust a move
You want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
Just bust a move
If you want it, you got it
If you want it, baby, you got it
Move it, boy
Uh, uh, uh, hey, uh, uh, ya, uh
Huh, hey, huh, hey, uh, uh, hey, ya, ya
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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like this version better than the original