"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'm sad about the messages you're sending
I'm sad about the shit we're doing wrong
I'm sad about the never-ending love we had
We keep pissing on the fire, but it keeps burning so strong
Can we both just say "I love you" and get it on?
Your boy from Birmingham seems nice enough to me
But unqualified for you, and your heavy vibes
He doesn't know the troubled story that he's written himself into
He doesn't know he's just a place for you to hide
You wanna tell him "Best of luck, man Roll Tide"
Roll Tide
It can't be easier to swim, when the water's high
Roll Tide
When what we want the most has us terrified
Roll Tide
If we don't want to let go, then we have to fight
Roll Tide
Roll Tide
I'm asking now for reconciliation
I'm asking now for what we have to say
I'm asking now for both of us to do a little changing
I wanna dance with you forever, in this one cabaret
If we just allow ourselves, it'll be okay
I close my eyes sometimes, now, when I'm driving
To feel the lack of distance between our sides
To see the orange and purple glow of our two flames
To take my weary self out for a ride
To tell myself, "Hang in, man Roll Tide"
Roll Tide
It can't be easier to swim, when the water's high
Roll Tide
When what we want the most has us terrified
Roll Tide
If we don't want to let go, we have to fight
And if we can't let go, then we have to try
Roll Tide
Roll Tide
I'm sad about the shit we're doing wrong
I'm sad about the never-ending love we had
We keep pissing on the fire, but it keeps burning so strong
Can we both just say "I love you" and get it on?
Your boy from Birmingham seems nice enough to me
But unqualified for you, and your heavy vibes
He doesn't know the troubled story that he's written himself into
He doesn't know he's just a place for you to hide
You wanna tell him "Best of luck, man Roll Tide"
Roll Tide
It can't be easier to swim, when the water's high
Roll Tide
When what we want the most has us terrified
Roll Tide
If we don't want to let go, then we have to fight
Roll Tide
Roll Tide
I'm asking now for reconciliation
I'm asking now for what we have to say
I'm asking now for both of us to do a little changing
I wanna dance with you forever, in this one cabaret
If we just allow ourselves, it'll be okay
I close my eyes sometimes, now, when I'm driving
To feel the lack of distance between our sides
To see the orange and purple glow of our two flames
To take my weary self out for a ride
To tell myself, "Hang in, man Roll Tide"
Roll Tide
It can't be easier to swim, when the water's high
Roll Tide
When what we want the most has us terrified
Roll Tide
If we don't want to let go, we have to fight
And if we can't let go, then we have to try
Roll Tide
Roll Tide
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