"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.
Well, I got a friend who's a man
What man?
The man who keeps me from the lonely, the only
He gives me what I need
What you need? What you got?
I need it all so badly
Oh, anything I want he gives it to me
Anything I want he gives it, but not for free
It's hateful
And it's paid for and I'm so grateful to be nowhere
This year I've lost some friends
Some friends? What friends?
I dunno, I ain't even noticed
You see, I gotta go out again
Again? My friend
I gotta see the main man
Oh, anything I want he gives it to me
Anything I want he gives it, but not for free
It's hateful
And it's paid for and I'm so grateful to be nowhere
Oh, anything I want he gives it to me
Anything I want he gives it, but not for free
It's hateful
And it's paid for and I'm so grateful to be nowhere
I killed all my nerves
My nerves? What swerves?
And I can't drive so steady, and already
I've lost my memory
My mind? Behind!
I can't see so clearly
Oh, anything I want he gives it to me
Anything I want he gives it, but not for free
Anything I want, anything I want, anything I want, anything I want, anything I want
What man?
The man who keeps me from the lonely, the only
He gives me what I need
What you need? What you got?
I need it all so badly
Oh, anything I want he gives it to me
Anything I want he gives it, but not for free
It's hateful
And it's paid for and I'm so grateful to be nowhere
This year I've lost some friends
Some friends? What friends?
I dunno, I ain't even noticed
You see, I gotta go out again
Again? My friend
I gotta see the main man
Oh, anything I want he gives it to me
Anything I want he gives it, but not for free
It's hateful
And it's paid for and I'm so grateful to be nowhere
Oh, anything I want he gives it to me
Anything I want he gives it, but not for free
It's hateful
And it's paid for and I'm so grateful to be nowhere
I killed all my nerves
My nerves? What swerves?
And I can't drive so steady, and already
I've lost my memory
My mind? Behind!
I can't see so clearly
Oh, anything I want he gives it to me
Anything I want he gives it, but not for free
Anything I want, anything I want, anything I want, anything I want, anything I want
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One of Strummer's big anti-drug expressions. It's a funny song about a serious thing.
This year I've lost some friends Some friends? What friends? I dunno, I ain't even noticed
Reminds me of people that I've stopped hanging out with because they get carried away with drugs and then think that you're the one being unreasonable. Sung in 1st person, from the perspective of a user; a very confused and naive individual.
I lost a friend last year to drugs and learned this song as a tribute to him (he loved the clash and even got to meet a few of them before he died). This song really speaks to me and your description is quite apt. I stayed away from drugs (cept weed and mushrooms)and I had to drop alot of my friends not because I didn't care about them but because I cared so much I could no longer bare to sit idly by and watch while they slowly killed themselves especially after our friend's untimely death. And their reaction was the same as what you said, they argued it wasn't my place because it was their life (they really didn't understand how their problem affected the people around them) It hurt more than they can understand, sure it sucks to be addicted but the change comes from yourself, what was I to do? I couldn't change them and they wouldn't change for me. It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make but Im glad I did. Anyways I just wanted to say I sympathize with you and if your situation was anything like mine I know how much you will appreciate that. I hope your friends or at least some of them came around or will one day :) <br /> <br /> p.s I made an account just to reply to your comment
just realized your comment is 7 years old :| well heres hopin you see it :P