"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.
And the morning light was breaking
Slowly moving across the bed
He gets up without her waking
To the voices in his head
Through the shadows in the hallway
To the room they painted blue
And on the inside he is frightened
At a loss for what to do
Until he opens up his eyes
And the angels all look down
Even closer than this life
Closer than your faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
And he knows his life is changing
It's never easy letting go
For the first time you are mortal
As the child before you grows
And he wonders at the sight
Of the joy that he has found
Even closer than this life
Closer than your faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
And what would you intend to find?
Solitude? Your peace of mind?
Holding out for something less
Than touching the hand of God?
Even closer than this life
Closer than this faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
Closer than this life
Closer finally
Living for the only thing
You ever made complete
Oh, for the one thing
That you both did perfectly
Slowly moving across the bed
He gets up without her waking
To the voices in his head
Through the shadows in the hallway
To the room they painted blue
And on the inside he is frightened
At a loss for what to do
Until he opens up his eyes
And the angels all look down
Even closer than this life
Closer than your faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
And he knows his life is changing
It's never easy letting go
For the first time you are mortal
As the child before you grows
And he wonders at the sight
Of the joy that he has found
Even closer than this life
Closer than your faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
And what would you intend to find?
Solitude? Your peace of mind?
Holding out for something less
Than touching the hand of God?
Even closer than this life
Closer than this faith
Closer than the things
That you hold dearly
And in vain
Closer than this life
Falling through again
Giving more than anything
That you could hope to win
Closer than this life
Closer finally
Living for the only thing
You ever made complete
Oh, for the one thing
That you both did perfectly
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Fast Car
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