"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.
Ground underneath the heel of misfortune
Jammed under clean, like a cigarette scorchin'
Swept off my felt when I told you, I wanted simply to hold you
Now the Indian can stay, but the cowboy's gotta go
(Alright)
Wish it could be my way, your way too
Wish there was a highway running between the two
[Spoken:]
In a bark, you can hear a life's story, if your ears are tuned. Dog's got a high charge of energy, and if one fits your flow you've got a one-man dog. That's why they shouldn't sleep on your bed. That's why they stick around graves.
Don't you know a tree can feel, chrissake? Shredding a living thing like that into splinters? Don't think it can't happen to you--only worse.
[Sung:]
Take a moment to think of this,
Take a moment to feel this
Take a moment to catch your breath
Take a moment, it's life and death
He came from the West,
A golden boy riding from the wilderness
His work was good,
Oh yeah he was the best
But when his work was done, this cowboy had to go
Wish it could be my way, your way too
Wish there was a highway running between the two
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Cowboy's gotta go
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Cowboy's gotta go
He was on the curb near that dip in the pavement, used to be there
Grab my flashlight from the door, saw the headlight shining off the Indian
A convertible upside down on the shoulder, '58 Chevy turned over
Well the Indians can stay now, but the cowboy's got to go
(W'alright)
Wish it could be my way, your way too
Wish there was a highway running between the two
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Cowboy's gotta go
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Cowboy's gotta go
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Wish it could be my way, your way too
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Wish there was a highway running between the two
[repeat to fade]
Jammed under clean, like a cigarette scorchin'
Swept off my felt when I told you, I wanted simply to hold you
Now the Indian can stay, but the cowboy's gotta go
(Alright)
Wish it could be my way, your way too
Wish there was a highway running between the two
[Spoken:]
In a bark, you can hear a life's story, if your ears are tuned. Dog's got a high charge of energy, and if one fits your flow you've got a one-man dog. That's why they shouldn't sleep on your bed. That's why they stick around graves.
Don't you know a tree can feel, chrissake? Shredding a living thing like that into splinters? Don't think it can't happen to you--only worse.
[Sung:]
Take a moment to think of this,
Take a moment to feel this
Take a moment to catch your breath
Take a moment, it's life and death
He came from the West,
A golden boy riding from the wilderness
His work was good,
Oh yeah he was the best
But when his work was done, this cowboy had to go
Wish it could be my way, your way too
Wish there was a highway running between the two
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Cowboy's gotta go
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Cowboy's gotta go
He was on the curb near that dip in the pavement, used to be there
Grab my flashlight from the door, saw the headlight shining off the Indian
A convertible upside down on the shoulder, '58 Chevy turned over
Well the Indians can stay now, but the cowboy's got to go
(W'alright)
Wish it could be my way, your way too
Wish there was a highway running between the two
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Cowboy's gotta go
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Cowboy's gotta go
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Wish it could be my way, your way too
(He knew he had to go, he knew he had to go) Wish there was a highway running between the two
[repeat to fade]
Lyrics submitted by ProfessorKnowItAll
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Fast Car
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