"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.
And what do you remember most?
The line of the sea, seceding the coast?
Fine capillaries, glowing with cars?
The comfort you drew from the light of the stars?
And how long did you climb that night
With the ice in your lungs, on the rungs of the light?
Beyond recall, you severed all strings
To everyone, and everything
Oh, silent, constant driver of mine
Wordlessly calling from the end of the line
Where, even though each hour I ever loved
Must queue and dive
Still, you will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart
In martial wind, and in clarion rain
We minced into battle, wincing in pain
Not meant for walking, backs bound in twine
Not angel or devil, but level, in time
And I rose, to take my shape at last
From the dreams that had dogged me, through every past
When, to my soul, the body would say
You may do what you like
As long as you stay
Now the towns and forests, highways and plains
Fall back in circles like an emptying drain
And I won't come round this way again
Where the lonely wind abides
And you will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart
The line of the sea, seceding the coast?
Fine capillaries, glowing with cars?
The comfort you drew from the light of the stars?
And how long did you climb that night
With the ice in your lungs, on the rungs of the light?
Beyond recall, you severed all strings
To everyone, and everything
Oh, silent, constant driver of mine
Wordlessly calling from the end of the line
Where, even though each hour I ever loved
Must queue and dive
Still, you will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart
In martial wind, and in clarion rain
We minced into battle, wincing in pain
Not meant for walking, backs bound in twine
Not angel or devil, but level, in time
And I rose, to take my shape at last
From the dreams that had dogged me, through every past
When, to my soul, the body would say
You may do what you like
As long as you stay
Now the towns and forests, highways and plains
Fall back in circles like an emptying drain
And I won't come round this way again
Where the lonely wind abides
And you will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart alive
You will not take my heart
Lyrics submitted by meowmeow82
You Will Not Take My Heart Alive Lyrics as written by Joanna Newsom
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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