"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.
Falling deep into this dream-like state
Wake myself up, don't be late
All these dreams I seem to overrate
Be there when you call
Be there when you change your mind and I'll be there
Be there when you, be there when you call
And I'll be there when you find what I've been
What you've been looking for all along
Convince you, I would go anywhere with you
Oh darling, what else would I want to do I still would go anywhere with you
Without you, I am stuck in this dream too
Oh darling, what else cuold I do, I love you
But I am stuck in this dream too, with you
I tried to win your favor once
Looked at you and tried again now twice
My world hurts now that's too great a price
Finally meditating on that which I've never really known
Time shows me that I have grown
Finally meditating on that which I've never really known
Time shows me that I have grown
Wake myself up, don't be late
All these dreams I seem to overrate
Be there when you call
Be there when you change your mind and I'll be there
Be there when you, be there when you call
And I'll be there when you find what I've been
What you've been looking for all along
Convince you, I would go anywhere with you
Oh darling, what else would I want to do I still would go anywhere with you
Without you, I am stuck in this dream too
Oh darling, what else cuold I do, I love you
But I am stuck in this dream too, with you
I tried to win your favor once
Looked at you and tried again now twice
My world hurts now that's too great a price
Finally meditating on that which I've never really known
Time shows me that I have grown
Finally meditating on that which I've never really known
Time shows me that I have grown
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