"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.
blood all over
i feel all right
lay me down now
in this red stone light
i knew you were danger
i knew you were harm
but i kept on coming
a moth to a flame
bring me down when all is broken
quiet voice so softly spoken
and i'm your stranger
on neon roads
so come on over
my glowing rose
i need your danger
i need your harm
to pull me closer
bring me down when all is broken
quiet voice so softly spoken
i feel all right
lay me down now
in this red stone light
i knew you were danger
i knew you were harm
but i kept on coming
a moth to a flame
bring me down when all is broken
quiet voice so softly spoken
and i'm your stranger
on neon roads
so come on over
my glowing rose
i need your danger
i need your harm
to pull me closer
bring me down when all is broken
quiet voice so softly spoken
Lyrics submitted by acronymicwonder
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I think the song is about being in an abusive relationship (blood all over, I feel alright / I knew you were danger, I knew you were harm, but I kept on coming, a moth to a flame), but the speaker doesn’t have anything else. The relationship gives them security. (Bring me down when all is broken, quiet voice so softly spoken). The speaker is aware of what is happening, and knows the abuse is taking place, but stays in the relationship because they have nothing else, and their abuser gives them safety, somewhere to rest, and security.