"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.
Call your momma "mommy" (you gotta not!)
Askin' her for money (you gotta not!)
Never keep your house clean (you gotta not!)
Wearin' dirty laundry (you gotta not!)
Is that what you call flirtin'? (you gotta not!)
You ain't even workin', boy get a job
And baby, when you wanna start growin' up
We can boom, boom, boom, baby, fall in love
Oh, you don't like kids? (you gotta not!)
And you still smoke cigs? (ew, you gotta not!)
Is you afraid of blue's clues? (you gotta not!)
Do you still use a bluetooth? (you gotta not!)
You love whitey-tighties (you gotta not!)
'Cause they only show off your muffin top
And baby, when you wanna start growin' up
We can boom, boom, boom, baby, fall in love (let's go!)
I need a man
A man who can act like a man
So hear me now, I don't get paid to babysit no one
I'm out here lookin' for the one to love
Singin', I need a man, so hear me now
Oh, you don't bump to the weeknd? (you gotta not!)
You argue with my best friend? (you gotta not!)
Yeah, all the hottie-totties (you gotta not!)
If that's the way you party (you gotta not!)
Everybody want me (you gotta not!)
But you're kinda hot, so I thought, why not?
And baby, when you wanna start growin' up
We can boom, boom, boom, baby, fall in love
I need a man
A man who can act like a man
So hear me now, I don't get paid to babysit no one
I'm out here lookin' for the one to love
Singin', I need a man, so hear me now
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
All my ladies, if you need a man, sing!
Call your momma "mommy" (you gotta not!)
Askin' her for money (you gotta not!)
And baby, when you wanna start growin' up
We can boom, boom, boom, baby, fall in love
I need a man
A man who can act like a man
So hear me now, I don't get paid to babysit no one
I'm out here lookin' for the one to love
Singin', I need a man, so hear me now
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah (so hear me now)
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah (so hear me now)
I need, I need a man
I need, I need a man (I need a man)
I need, I need a man (I need a man)
I need, I need a man (I need a man)
Askin' her for money (you gotta not!)
Never keep your house clean (you gotta not!)
Wearin' dirty laundry (you gotta not!)
Is that what you call flirtin'? (you gotta not!)
You ain't even workin', boy get a job
And baby, when you wanna start growin' up
We can boom, boom, boom, baby, fall in love
Oh, you don't like kids? (you gotta not!)
And you still smoke cigs? (ew, you gotta not!)
Is you afraid of blue's clues? (you gotta not!)
Do you still use a bluetooth? (you gotta not!)
You love whitey-tighties (you gotta not!)
'Cause they only show off your muffin top
And baby, when you wanna start growin' up
We can boom, boom, boom, baby, fall in love (let's go!)
I need a man
A man who can act like a man
So hear me now, I don't get paid to babysit no one
I'm out here lookin' for the one to love
Singin', I need a man, so hear me now
Oh, you don't bump to the weeknd? (you gotta not!)
You argue with my best friend? (you gotta not!)
Yeah, all the hottie-totties (you gotta not!)
If that's the way you party (you gotta not!)
Everybody want me (you gotta not!)
But you're kinda hot, so I thought, why not?
And baby, when you wanna start growin' up
We can boom, boom, boom, baby, fall in love
I need a man
A man who can act like a man
So hear me now, I don't get paid to babysit no one
I'm out here lookin' for the one to love
Singin', I need a man, so hear me now
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
All my ladies, if you need a man, sing!
Call your momma "mommy" (you gotta not!)
Askin' her for money (you gotta not!)
And baby, when you wanna start growin' up
We can boom, boom, boom, baby, fall in love
I need a man
A man who can act like a man
So hear me now, I don't get paid to babysit no one
I'm out here lookin' for the one to love
Singin', I need a man, so hear me now
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah (so hear me now)
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah (so hear me now)
I need, I need a man
I need, I need a man (I need a man)
I need, I need a man (I need a man)
I need, I need a man (I need a man)
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