"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.
Different inflection when you say my name
Kiss me, but your kiss don't taste the same
Is it real or am I going out of my mind?
Curious 'bout the company that you keep
'Cause I hear you talking 'bout her in your sleep
And now you've got me talking 'bout her in mine
Ooh, and I bet she has it all
Bet she's beautiful like you, like you
And I bet she's got that touch
Makes you fall in love, like you, like you
I can taste her lipstick and see her laying across your chest
I can feel the distance every time you remember her fingertips
Maybe I should be more like her
Maybe I should be more like her
I can taste her lipstick, it's like I'm kissing her, too
And she's perfect
And she's perfect
How does she touch you? Can I try it, too?
I know you're twisted, but baby, I'm twisted, too
I wanna know how she could make a man lose his mind
Oh, with the smell of her perfume
I could love her, too, like you, like you
And I can almost hear her laugh
Curving on her back for you, for you
I can taste her lipstick and see her laying across your chest
I can feel the distance every time you remember her fingertips
Maybe I should be more like her
Maybe I should be more like her
I can taste her lipstick, it's like I'm kissing her, too
And she's perfect
I can see her body rushing into you
Crashing on your skin
Burning within, burning so deep, deep
On your skin, skin next to me
She's crashing on your skin
Settling in, burning so deep, deep
On your skin, skin while you're sleeping
I can taste her lipstick and see her laying across your chest
I can feel the distance every time you remember her fingertips
Maybe I should be more like her
Maybe I should be more like her
I can taste her lipstick, it's like I'm kissing her, too
And she's perfect
Kiss me, but your kiss don't taste the same
Is it real or am I going out of my mind?
Curious 'bout the company that you keep
'Cause I hear you talking 'bout her in your sleep
And now you've got me talking 'bout her in mine
Ooh, and I bet she has it all
Bet she's beautiful like you, like you
And I bet she's got that touch
Makes you fall in love, like you, like you
I can taste her lipstick and see her laying across your chest
I can feel the distance every time you remember her fingertips
Maybe I should be more like her
Maybe I should be more like her
I can taste her lipstick, it's like I'm kissing her, too
And she's perfect
And she's perfect
How does she touch you? Can I try it, too?
I know you're twisted, but baby, I'm twisted, too
I wanna know how she could make a man lose his mind
Oh, with the smell of her perfume
I could love her, too, like you, like you
And I can almost hear her laugh
Curving on her back for you, for you
I can taste her lipstick and see her laying across your chest
I can feel the distance every time you remember her fingertips
Maybe I should be more like her
Maybe I should be more like her
I can taste her lipstick, it's like I'm kissing her, too
And she's perfect
I can see her body rushing into you
Crashing on your skin
Burning within, burning so deep, deep
On your skin, skin next to me
She's crashing on your skin
Settling in, burning so deep, deep
On your skin, skin while you're sleeping
I can taste her lipstick and see her laying across your chest
I can feel the distance every time you remember her fingertips
Maybe I should be more like her
Maybe I should be more like her
I can taste her lipstick, it's like I'm kissing her, too
And she's perfect
Lyrics submitted by chrisc227, edited by jessicadrake6
Perfect Lyrics as written by Julia Michaels Felix Snow
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think the song is obviously about Justin Bieber cheating on Selena, which was a widely reported rumor. What's particularly interesting about this song though is how it's a twisted, sardonic perception of the situation. Not overt anger, but a sense of affection towards the girl she's being cheated on with. I think it's her heartbroken self searching for answers as to why she's being cheated on. To come to terms with it she tells herself "Well she must be pretty great if he goes out of his way to cheat on me with her". She does see the girl in a competitive light, but has a fondness towards her and the mystery behind her. She essentially is blaming herself, "Maybe I should be more like her", which shows how she lets her low self-esteem get in the way instead of just blaming Bieber. Very sad, manic thoughts of a person being cheated on who is not thinking rationally.