"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 know a carpenter, I know a laborer
He is my teacher, he is my brother
I have a neighbor, he is my savior
I know a carpenter, I know a laborer
He is my teacher, he is my brother
I have a neighbor, he is my savior
He doesn't waver, he's a strong believer
I know a business man, he scrapped his business plan
While screaming fuck the man, he gave into the land.
They are all archetypes, people that I might like to be
Just like in a completely different way
and we all...all
We're coming out of our caves, Coming out of our cave
and we all...
We're coming out of our caves, Coming out of our caves
I know a farmer, I know his vision I know his struggle, I know his hope know a futurist, he is an optimist and he knows a young waitress and he's trying to coax her out of her cave
by smiling, by winking by saying you know it's good for us to talk, yeah it's good to talk.
I know a father, I loved his daughter
I told him never would I forsake her
But I got home too late, from one of my escapades
No woman to face, just a note that said baby I've sailed away right out of my cave
Caught a swell, caught a wave To another inspiring place my friend the bureaucrat, he just accepts all that
Which I cannot except, such frustration that I wept For my friend the taxman, he is my father and he tallies numbers all day, yes he knows his numbers you could say! He taxes income! I asked him how come?
"You know I work hard for every penny don't you think I deserve it all?" "Oh the law, the law, the law son there are flaws in the law
but, in the end I just answer to God boy I'm just doing my job!"
My friend the astronomer she is a stargazer
I swear they talk to her, boy I wish I knew what they were saying while I was laying in her bed with her chest to my head..were our intentions misread? So I just said it, I said, "baby
I'm a nobody I aint got no money!
Just this ambition to tell the people we are equal so c'mon baby come out of your cave"
Ahhh ahhh ahhh
Catch a swell catch a wave to another inspiring place
Were all, all all coming out of our caves.
He is my teacher, he is my brother
I have a neighbor, he is my savior
I know a carpenter, I know a laborer
He is my teacher, he is my brother
I have a neighbor, he is my savior
He doesn't waver, he's a strong believer
I know a business man, he scrapped his business plan
While screaming fuck the man, he gave into the land.
They are all archetypes, people that I might like to be
Just like in a completely different way
and we all...all
We're coming out of our caves, Coming out of our cave
and we all...
We're coming out of our caves, Coming out of our caves
I know a farmer, I know his vision I know his struggle, I know his hope know a futurist, he is an optimist and he knows a young waitress and he's trying to coax her out of her cave
by smiling, by winking by saying you know it's good for us to talk, yeah it's good to talk.
I know a father, I loved his daughter
I told him never would I forsake her
But I got home too late, from one of my escapades
No woman to face, just a note that said baby I've sailed away right out of my cave
Caught a swell, caught a wave To another inspiring place my friend the bureaucrat, he just accepts all that
Which I cannot except, such frustration that I wept For my friend the taxman, he is my father and he tallies numbers all day, yes he knows his numbers you could say! He taxes income! I asked him how come?
"You know I work hard for every penny don't you think I deserve it all?" "Oh the law, the law, the law son there are flaws in the law
but, in the end I just answer to God boy I'm just doing my job!"
My friend the astronomer she is a stargazer
I swear they talk to her, boy I wish I knew what they were saying while I was laying in her bed with her chest to my head..were our intentions misread? So I just said it, I said, "baby
I'm a nobody I aint got no money!
Just this ambition to tell the people we are equal so c'mon baby come out of your cave"
Ahhh ahhh ahhh
Catch a swell catch a wave to another inspiring place
Were all, all all coming out of our caves.
Lyrics submitted by liniwa
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Fast Car
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i've never heard such a song to match my life. I love that it shows gratitude to those who have helped along the way. the trials and tribulations of life, the ones we disappoint, the ones we inspire. such is life. beautiful
PS. Scrap the business plan, scream fuck the man and give into the land!