"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.
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
Somebody told me that this planet was small
We use to live in the same buildin' on the same floor
And never met before
Until I'm overseas on tour
And peep this Ethiopian queen from Philly
Takin' classes abroad
She studyin' film and photo, flash, focus, record
Said she workin' on a flick, and could my click do the score?
She said she loved my show in Paris at Élysée Montmartre
And that I stepped off the stage and took a piece of her heart
We knew from the start that things fall apart and tend to shatter
She like that shit don't matter
When I get home get at her
Through letter, phone, whatever
Let's link, let's get together
Shit, you think not, think that Thought went home and forgot
Time passed, we back in Philly now she up in my spot
Tellin' me the things I'm tellin' her is makin' her hot
Startin' buildin' with her constantly 'round the clock
Now she in my world like hip-hop
And keep tellin' me, yo
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
Yo, I'm the type that's always catchin' a flight (uh-huh)
And sometimes I gotta be out at the height of the night
And that's when she flip and get on some old
Another lonely night
Seems like I'm on the side you only lovin' your mic
I know you gotta get that paper, daddy, keep that shit tight
But yo, I need some sort of love in my life, you dig me?
While politicin' with my sister from New York City
She said she know this ball player and he think I'm pretty
Psych, I'm playin' boo, you know it's just wit you I'm stayin' boo
And when cats be poppin' game I don't hear what they sayin' boo
When you out there in the world, I'm still your girl
With all my classes I don't have the time for life's thrills
So when you sweatin' on stage think of me when you rhyme
And don't be listenin' to your homies they be leavin' you blind
Yeah, so what you sayin' I can trust you?
Is you crazy? You my king for real
But sometimes relationships get ill
No doubt
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
That snake could be that chick and that rat
Could be that cool cat
That's whisperin' "she tryin' to play you for the fool Black"
If something's on your chest then let it be known
See I'm not your every five minutes all on the phone
And on the topic of trust, it's just a matter of fact
That people bite back and fracture what's intact
And they'll forever be, I ain't on some, "Oh, I'm a celebrity"
I deal with the real so if it's artificial let it be
I've seen people caught in love like whirlwinds
Listenin' to they squads and listenin' to girlfriends
That's exactly the point where they whole world ends
Lies come in, that's where that drama begins, she like, yo
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
Somebody told me that this planet was small
We use to live in the same buildin' on the same floor
And never met before
Until I'm overseas on tour
And peep this Ethiopian queen from Philly
Takin' classes abroad
She studyin' film and photo, flash, focus, record
Said she workin' on a flick, and could my click do the score?
She said she loved my show in Paris at Élysée Montmartre
And that I stepped off the stage and took a piece of her heart
We knew from the start that things fall apart and tend to shatter
She like that shit don't matter
When I get home get at her
Through letter, phone, whatever
Let's link, let's get together
Shit, you think not, think that Thought went home and forgot
Time passed, we back in Philly now she up in my spot
Tellin' me the things I'm tellin' her is makin' her hot
Startin' buildin' with her constantly 'round the clock
Now she in my world like hip-hop
And keep tellin' me, yo
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
Yo, I'm the type that's always catchin' a flight (uh-huh)
And sometimes I gotta be out at the height of the night
And that's when she flip and get on some old
Another lonely night
Seems like I'm on the side you only lovin' your mic
I know you gotta get that paper, daddy, keep that shit tight
But yo, I need some sort of love in my life, you dig me?
While politicin' with my sister from New York City
She said she know this ball player and he think I'm pretty
Psych, I'm playin' boo, you know it's just wit you I'm stayin' boo
And when cats be poppin' game I don't hear what they sayin' boo
When you out there in the world, I'm still your girl
With all my classes I don't have the time for life's thrills
So when you sweatin' on stage think of me when you rhyme
And don't be listenin' to your homies they be leavin' you blind
Yeah, so what you sayin' I can trust you?
Is you crazy? You my king for real
But sometimes relationships get ill
No doubt
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
That snake could be that chick and that rat
Could be that cool cat
That's whisperin' "she tryin' to play you for the fool Black"
If something's on your chest then let it be known
See I'm not your every five minutes all on the phone
And on the topic of trust, it's just a matter of fact
That people bite back and fracture what's intact
And they'll forever be, I ain't on some, "Oh, I'm a celebrity"
I deal with the real so if it's artificial let it be
I've seen people caught in love like whirlwinds
Listenin' to they squads and listenin' to girlfriends
That's exactly the point where they whole world ends
Lies come in, that's where that drama begins, she like, yo
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
If you were worried 'bout where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don't worry, you know that you got me
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clearly, if any of you owned the album, you would see in the liner notes that a) erykah badu sings the chorus and the chorus ONLY and that b) eve is the "female mc," as the notes say.
also, i would like to note that Jill Scott wrote the hook of this song. when you find this out, it makes so much sense. Scott Storch (who plays for Jill Scott i believe) also wrote the music to this track. typical of the roots---it's an amazing song.