"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.
I haven’t been through these things
Since I acquired all these memories
And lately, they've been coming back to me
Would you mind if I called you
And I assumed you were at home too
Would you mind if we walked through
And I told you everything I've seen
Or have you forgotten about me
Would you mind if I missed you
It’s been so long
Would you mind if I missed you
All this time you've been gone
We set out when the morning came
To take us to a familiar place
And oh I, I’ll forget these days to soon
But I won’t forget about you
Would you mind if I missed you
It’s been so long
Would you mind if I missed you
All this time you've been gone
We’ll breathe
Regardless of if we’re off key
And we’ll breathe
Would you mind if I called you
And I assumed you were at home too
Would you mind if we walked through
And I told you everything I've seen
Or have you forgotten about me
Would you mind if I missed you
It’s been so long
Would you mind if I missed you
All this time you've been gone
We’ll breathe
Regardless of if we’re off key
And we’ll breathe.
Since I acquired all these memories
And lately, they've been coming back to me
Would you mind if I called you
And I assumed you were at home too
Would you mind if we walked through
And I told you everything I've seen
Or have you forgotten about me
Would you mind if I missed you
It’s been so long
Would you mind if I missed you
All this time you've been gone
We set out when the morning came
To take us to a familiar place
And oh I, I’ll forget these days to soon
But I won’t forget about you
Would you mind if I missed you
It’s been so long
Would you mind if I missed you
All this time you've been gone
We’ll breathe
Regardless of if we’re off key
And we’ll breathe
Would you mind if I called you
And I assumed you were at home too
Would you mind if we walked through
And I told you everything I've seen
Or have you forgotten about me
Would you mind if I missed you
It’s been so long
Would you mind if I missed you
All this time you've been gone
We’ll breathe
Regardless of if we’re off key
And we’ll breathe.
Lyrics submitted by m7rk127
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