"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.
(Let's live it up) (let's live it up)
(Let's live it up) (let's live it up)
Lead the way, and let's get it started,
Sees the day, and reach for the sky,
Carry on, 'cause those brokenhearted days are gone,
So wave goodbye
We're gonna blow up because we've got nothing to lose,
We're gonna rise up above when we break all the rules,
We're gonna re-write the book 'cause it's long overdue,
Tear up the script, this is it 'cause it's all up to you
Because tomorrow will show up on time,
It's gonna follow the night of your life,
You know tomorrow begins when you say,
Tomorrow is on it's way
So, let's live it up today
Let's live it up today
Pack your bags, adventure is waiting,
Gonna have the ride of your life,
Smile wide, 'cause there's no debating,
It feels so right, so hold on tight
We're gonna blow up because we've got nothing to lose,
We're gonna rise up above when we break all the rules,
We're gonna re-write the book 'cause it's long overdue,
Tear up the script, this is it 'cause it's all up to you
Because tomorrow will show up on time,
It's gonna follow the night of your life,
You know tomorrow begins when you say,
Tomorrow is on it's way
So, let's live it up today
Today, let's live it up, let's live it up today
Let's live it up today
Because tomorrow will show up on time,
It's gonna follow the night of your life,
You know tomorrow begins when you say,
Tomorrow is on it's way
So, let's live it up,
Because tomorrow will show up on time,
It's gonna follow the night of your life,
You know tomorrow begins when you say,
Tomorrow is on it's way
So, let's live it up today
Let's live it up today
Let's live it up today
Let's live it up today
(Let's live it up today)
We're gonna live it up today
(Let's live it up) (let's live it up)
Lead the way, and let's get it started,
Sees the day, and reach for the sky,
Carry on, 'cause those brokenhearted days are gone,
So wave goodbye
We're gonna blow up because we've got nothing to lose,
We're gonna rise up above when we break all the rules,
We're gonna re-write the book 'cause it's long overdue,
Tear up the script, this is it 'cause it's all up to you
Because tomorrow will show up on time,
It's gonna follow the night of your life,
You know tomorrow begins when you say,
Tomorrow is on it's way
So, let's live it up today
Let's live it up today
Pack your bags, adventure is waiting,
Gonna have the ride of your life,
Smile wide, 'cause there's no debating,
It feels so right, so hold on tight
We're gonna blow up because we've got nothing to lose,
We're gonna rise up above when we break all the rules,
We're gonna re-write the book 'cause it's long overdue,
Tear up the script, this is it 'cause it's all up to you
Because tomorrow will show up on time,
It's gonna follow the night of your life,
You know tomorrow begins when you say,
Tomorrow is on it's way
So, let's live it up today
Today, let's live it up, let's live it up today
Let's live it up today
Because tomorrow will show up on time,
It's gonna follow the night of your life,
You know tomorrow begins when you say,
Tomorrow is on it's way
So, let's live it up,
Because tomorrow will show up on time,
It's gonna follow the night of your life,
You know tomorrow begins when you say,
Tomorrow is on it's way
So, let's live it up today
Let's live it up today
Let's live it up today
Let's live it up today
(Let's live it up today)
We're gonna live it up today
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