"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.
You walked in the room like it was some kinda movie
These kind of matters aren't worth disputing
And when the going gets rough, you get a bit sloppy
But it never really mattered, cause you'll always land softly
Call it what it is boy
Systematic
Call it what it is boy
It's man made
You can call it what it is now
It's a racket
Call it what it is
You didn't have the right man beside you
No womanly voice heard for miles around you
You had these lessons passed down through generations
Hm, they've all gone bad now, they're spoiled, they're tainted
It's tainted
Call it what it is boy
Systematic
Call it what it is boy
It's man made
You can call it what it is now
It's a racket
Call it what it is
You've got these peasants quivering at your feet
Whispers, whispers they wish they could scream (ow)
Lover we're surrounded
With nowhere to go
Lover we're surrounded
With nowhere to go
Call it what it is boy
Call it what it is boy
You can call it what it is boy
You can call it what it is
Call it what it is boy
Systematic
Call it what it is boy
It's man made
You can call it what it is now
It's a racket
Call it what it is
Systematic
It's a racket
(Lover we're surrounded) call it what it is boy
(With nowhere to go) call it what it is boy
(Lover we're surrounded) you can call it what it is now
(With nowhere to go) call it what it is
These kind of matters aren't worth disputing
And when the going gets rough, you get a bit sloppy
But it never really mattered, cause you'll always land softly
Call it what it is boy
Systematic
Call it what it is boy
It's man made
You can call it what it is now
It's a racket
Call it what it is
You didn't have the right man beside you
No womanly voice heard for miles around you
You had these lessons passed down through generations
Hm, they've all gone bad now, they're spoiled, they're tainted
It's tainted
Call it what it is boy
Systematic
Call it what it is boy
It's man made
You can call it what it is now
It's a racket
Call it what it is
You've got these peasants quivering at your feet
Whispers, whispers they wish they could scream (ow)
Lover we're surrounded
With nowhere to go
Lover we're surrounded
With nowhere to go
Call it what it is boy
Call it what it is boy
You can call it what it is boy
You can call it what it is
Call it what it is boy
Systematic
Call it what it is boy
It's man made
You can call it what it is now
It's a racket
Call it what it is
Systematic
It's a racket
(Lover we're surrounded) call it what it is boy
(With nowhere to go) call it what it is boy
(Lover we're surrounded) you can call it what it is now
(With nowhere to go) call it what it is
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
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