"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.
The pathway is broken
And the signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why you brought me here
But just because you love me, the way that you do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If you want me to
'Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise
You're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will go through the fire
If you want me to
It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But you never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone, yeah oh oh
So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear you answer, my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering
Your love put you through
And I will go through the valley
If you want me to, hmm yeah
And the signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why you brought me here
But just because you love me, the way that you do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If you want me to
'Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise
You're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will go through the fire
If you want me to
It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But you never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone, yeah oh oh
So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear you answer, my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering
Your love put you through
And I will go through the valley
If you want me to, hmm yeah
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This song rules!!!! What do you think?