"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.
It's Lucy in the sky and all kinds of apple pie
She giggle[s] at the screen 'cause it looks so green
There's carpets on the pavement
And feathers in her eye
But sooner or later, her new friends will realize
That Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
She can't even look you in the eye
(Well) Well it seemed like a dream; too good to be true
Stash it in the bank while the tablets grow high
In their Millions
And everybody's high (Hi, man...)
But there's someone looking down
From that mountain side
'Cause Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
'Cause Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
Gumbo!
[And it's] Ten years for you
Nineteen for you
And you can get out in twenty-five
That is if you're still alive
Oh oh, alive
Oh yeah, alive
Oh oh, alive
Oh!
And then there came the night of the greatest ever raid
They arrested every drug that had ever been made
They took eighty-two laws
Through eighty-two doors
And they didn't halt the pull
Till the cells were all full
'Cause Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
They put him in a cell, they said 'you wait here'
You got the time to count all of your hair
You got fifteen years
That's a mighty long time
You could have been a physicist
But now your name is on the mailbag list
Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
Gumbo!
Ten years for you
Nineteen for you
And you can get out in twenty-five
That is if you're still...
Alive
Oh oh, alive
You're still
I said you're still
She giggle[s] at the screen 'cause it looks so green
There's carpets on the pavement
And feathers in her eye
But sooner or later, her new friends will realize
That Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
She can't even look you in the eye
(Well) Well it seemed like a dream; too good to be true
Stash it in the bank while the tablets grow high
In their Millions
And everybody's high (Hi, man...)
But there's someone looking down
From that mountain side
'Cause Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
'Cause Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
Gumbo!
[And it's] Ten years for you
Nineteen for you
And you can get out in twenty-five
That is if you're still alive
Oh oh, alive
Oh yeah, alive
Oh oh, alive
Oh!
And then there came the night of the greatest ever raid
They arrested every drug that had ever been made
They took eighty-two laws
Through eighty-two doors
And they didn't halt the pull
Till the cells were all full
'Cause Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
They put him in a cell, they said 'you wait here'
You got the time to count all of your hair
You got fifteen years
That's a mighty long time
You could have been a physicist
But now your name is on the mailbag list
Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
Julie's been working for the Drug Squad
Gumbo!
Ten years for you
Nineteen for you
And you can get out in twenty-five
That is if you're still...
Alive
Oh oh, alive
You're still
I said you're still
Lyrics submitted by aebassist, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad Lyrics as written by Mick Jones Joe Strummer
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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The Clash were making a point about how wasteful it is to put people in jail for a non-violent crime like drugs for 15 years or more. Some of the people convicted could be out contributing to society ('coulda been a physicist') but they're loicked up in prison for 'a mighty long time'. To put it mildly, they thought the laws were too harsh and that the government was wasting resources. I'm fairly certain I read that in the liner notes of a compilation CD.
I get the sense from lines like 'till the cells were all full' and the 82 business that they were also saying that the government was trying to make itself look effiecient and useful by 'cleaning up' the drug problem whereas a group like the Clash with such a strident political agenda would have thought the government should be working on changing the distribution of wealth, as well as fighting racism, instead. That much is speculation on my part, though.
From a standpoint of having not read any explanation by the Clash themselves for what this song is about, I'd say that it was both anti-government and anti-drugs. Rather then pointing out the actual physical or emotional damages that drugs can do to you, the song focused on how just having fun can later make you pay dearly, whether that punishment is just or not. I think it looks at both sides of the arguement - sure, the laws are too tough, but it's your fault too. I'm probably wrong, but maybe it'll get someone else thinking.
By the way, is it Mick who says 'Hi, there?' Good grief, he sounds like chick!
Awesome song. I think Strummer said it was inspired by a true story of a cop who went undercover to bust some addicts, and how the cop had to do drugs to gain their trust.
I think that the first line "Its Lucy in the Sky..." is a Beatles reference, from the song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Which also spells out LSD. Just thought I'd point that out. :D
I just want to point out the last line they have here should be "Drumroll", not "gumbo". Someone didn't listen to the song obviously.
I don't blame them. Joe always sound like he had a cold.
no one else likes this song? i think it's great good music, lyrics especially "AND EVERYBODY'S HIGH (HI, MAN...)"
i think julies undercover and she gets high cuz she has to or sumthing and then evry guy she worked for get put away for like 10, 15, 19 or 25 years or sumthing
Yeah it was multiple cops they its called Julies been working for the drug squad because the bust that inspired it was called operation Julie it was really powerful acid so the cops ended up getting really high.
o my gosh! none of you know! it was based on an actual drug bust that put just about 84 people in jail. julie was the name of the girl who sold out the operation.
its about operation julie, an investigation of two lsd rings in the mid 70s that broke up one of the largest lsd manufacturing operations in the world.