"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.
[Verse 1: Akin]
It’s like me versus tragedy. I don’t know, man
Where do I belong in this? I need to find home. Can
Somebody help me? Soul search is hard work
No pay and I hurt
I hurt—that’s from open wounds. But hope to blow soon
So I can stop bitching ‘bout the life and sing a happy tune
“Like eeny, meeny, miny, moe”
Nope, hip hop is lost. Niggas kidnapped the flow
And blow smoke to hear the little voice too shy to speak
Imagination run, run to Enoch beat
And beat life to a nigga either dead-asleep
The martyr and the fool—I rep both in my speech
That’s Kwame and the house. N-word, I can’t repeat
That's fame on the hill. Baby, view so sweet
A future ideal killed—ear to the street
Bump. Y’all awaiting that new shit, new shit
That tried and true shit, it’s true, shit
Ever since Time Being, it seems that I’m seeing
Love and hate on the block, cock-kissing—I’m fleeing
Play this when I’m back home (back home)
But ‘til then, bless the catalog—I’m gone
[Bridge 1: Akin]
Can't crash into it. Keep left, we rep and move it
Moving sideways—no never. Alright, sound like so clever
They, they so all like, “They, they popular”
Can't be popular
[Verse 2: Cise Star]
I want clean “Water for Chocolate” flowing outta the faucet
‘Cause sweets can’t sustain my thirst for first knowledge
Tired of the garbage, but sift through for honest
But I gotta pay homage to those who rose polished
Each to his own. Let’s rise to the occasion
The power of a monsoon break United Nations
Put it back together to help people wherever
Sudan was a genocide, but you said, “Whatever”
Turn a blind eye to those who hurt worst
And we wonder why these storms are now raging the earth
Prayers in the sky and a wish to find solace
Preacher man quiet and the poor spit—holla
Labor pains of these changing days
I change my ways and now I’mma wait for rain
Certain things will remain the same
For better, for worse, and other things’ll wash away
[Bridge 2: Akin]
Hey, hello Africa. Stand up, tell me how are you?
Smile for me. OK don’t forget progress
Me, you, him, and her alert
Work more or less
Freedom, one in music
Move it into Grey Matters
[Verse 3: Akin]
I guess everybody voting for Jack ‘cause he got high hopes
“It’s misery, plus beauty” me and Clyde wrote
Yeah, and for them sons and daughters
Walk upright. Peace to Jacobi Porter
You had my back when they tried me
That was ’95, dog. I still spit ivy
Yeah. And that’s poison for them whores
The fast food rap stars—call ‘em Mandy Moore
Yeah, and to Diego Iborra
Wish you the best—it was love when I saw ya
And its Horror, a Rocky Picture showing
Bodies on the floor in ruins, niggas not knowing
I keep flowing fluid—“Running Water” poems
Sketch hope ‘til my wrist break and pen’s overflowing
Yeah, the pen’s overflowing
It’s like me versus tragedy. I don’t know, man
Where do I belong in this? I need to find home. Can
Somebody help me? Soul search is hard work
No pay and I hurt
I hurt—that’s from open wounds. But hope to blow soon
So I can stop bitching ‘bout the life and sing a happy tune
“Like eeny, meeny, miny, moe”
Nope, hip hop is lost. Niggas kidnapped the flow
And blow smoke to hear the little voice too shy to speak
Imagination run, run to Enoch beat
And beat life to a nigga either dead-asleep
The martyr and the fool—I rep both in my speech
That’s Kwame and the house. N-word, I can’t repeat
That's fame on the hill. Baby, view so sweet
A future ideal killed—ear to the street
Bump. Y’all awaiting that new shit, new shit
That tried and true shit, it’s true, shit
Ever since Time Being, it seems that I’m seeing
Love and hate on the block, cock-kissing—I’m fleeing
Play this when I’m back home (back home)
But ‘til then, bless the catalog—I’m gone
[Bridge 1: Akin]
Can't crash into it. Keep left, we rep and move it
Moving sideways—no never. Alright, sound like so clever
They, they so all like, “They, they popular”
Can't be popular
[Verse 2: Cise Star]
I want clean “Water for Chocolate” flowing outta the faucet
‘Cause sweets can’t sustain my thirst for first knowledge
Tired of the garbage, but sift through for honest
But I gotta pay homage to those who rose polished
Each to his own. Let’s rise to the occasion
The power of a monsoon break United Nations
Put it back together to help people wherever
Sudan was a genocide, but you said, “Whatever”
Turn a blind eye to those who hurt worst
And we wonder why these storms are now raging the earth
Prayers in the sky and a wish to find solace
Preacher man quiet and the poor spit—holla
Labor pains of these changing days
I change my ways and now I’mma wait for rain
Certain things will remain the same
For better, for worse, and other things’ll wash away
[Bridge 2: Akin]
Hey, hello Africa. Stand up, tell me how are you?
Smile for me. OK don’t forget progress
Me, you, him, and her alert
Work more or less
Freedom, one in music
Move it into Grey Matters
[Verse 3: Akin]
I guess everybody voting for Jack ‘cause he got high hopes
“It’s misery, plus beauty” me and Clyde wrote
Yeah, and for them sons and daughters
Walk upright. Peace to Jacobi Porter
You had my back when they tried me
That was ’95, dog. I still spit ivy
Yeah. And that’s poison for them whores
The fast food rap stars—call ‘em Mandy Moore
Yeah, and to Diego Iborra
Wish you the best—it was love when I saw ya
And its Horror, a Rocky Picture showing
Bodies on the floor in ruins, niggas not knowing
I keep flowing fluid—“Running Water” poems
Sketch hope ‘til my wrist break and pen’s overflowing
Yeah, the pen’s overflowing
Lyrics submitted by CloudEater
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Fast Car
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