"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.
No hears a word I say
And my prayers are never answered
But you'll never see the pain inside of me
Stabbing me over and over and over
I trusted you and I loved you
And you spit back in my face
How could you do this to me?
When will you stop trying to hurt me?
I've walked a minefield for you
A career in hell with you
I have made it through the things
Others would surely die just watching
And the oath I take on this day
Is to know that you will be repaid
One day the the sun will die and the night will crawl
Until then, until I see your world implode
I wish you death and suffering
Misery to spare
Time to release your pain
Face the last enemy
I am the last thing you will know
The last thing you will see
I see your death surrounding me
I know you, yes I do
I know you
When no words are spoken and please are ignored
Your tears go unnoticed, will you say enough?
When prayers are unanswered and your calls are unheard
The pain cuts right through you, have you seen enough?
It all seems so deceitful and the verdict is lies
A black cloud of indecision compromised your life
When judgement has failed you
When your own heart's impaled you
Your wandering mind has destroyed you
Will you ever know when?
When you give everything and the feeling is gone
All the giving is fake, did you fake enough?
When you take everything and you stay too long
When there's nothing left, did you take enough?
It all seems so deceitful and the verdict is lies
A black cloud of indecision compromised your life
When judgment has failed you
When your own heart's impaled you
Your wandering mind has destroyed you
Will you ever know when?
And my prayers are never answered
But you'll never see the pain inside of me
Stabbing me over and over and over
I trusted you and I loved you
And you spit back in my face
How could you do this to me?
When will you stop trying to hurt me?
I've walked a minefield for you
A career in hell with you
I have made it through the things
Others would surely die just watching
And the oath I take on this day
Is to know that you will be repaid
One day the the sun will die and the night will crawl
Until then, until I see your world implode
I wish you death and suffering
Misery to spare
Time to release your pain
Face the last enemy
I am the last thing you will know
The last thing you will see
I see your death surrounding me
I know you, yes I do
I know you
When no words are spoken and please are ignored
Your tears go unnoticed, will you say enough?
When prayers are unanswered and your calls are unheard
The pain cuts right through you, have you seen enough?
It all seems so deceitful and the verdict is lies
A black cloud of indecision compromised your life
When judgement has failed you
When your own heart's impaled you
Your wandering mind has destroyed you
Will you ever know when?
When you give everything and the feeling is gone
All the giving is fake, did you fake enough?
When you take everything and you stay too long
When there's nothing left, did you take enough?
It all seems so deceitful and the verdict is lies
A black cloud of indecision compromised your life
When judgment has failed you
When your own heart's impaled you
Your wandering mind has destroyed you
Will you ever know when?
Lyrics submitted by elmoz, edited by Tunisian0rock0fan
When Lyrics as written by Dave Mustaine
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Dave mustaine wrote the riffs...