"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.
My tendency for dependency
Is offending me
It's upending me
I'm pretending see to be strong and free
From my dependency
It's warping me
(Whoa)
So much love, so rare to dare
Afraid of ever being there
Take me home, I need repair
Take me, please, to anywhere
Descend
All the way, all the way
(Whoa)
Descended from demented men
Struggle with the art of Zen
Please don't look too close at me
You might not like what you see
She said
All the way, all the way
Everyday
Warped and scared
Of being there, of being there
Craving sends me crawling, whoa
Beg for mercy, does it show?
A vacancy that's full of holes
Hold me please, I'm feeling cold
She said
All the way, all the way
Everyday
Warped and scared
Of being there, of being there
Is offending me
It's upending me
I'm pretending see to be strong and free
From my dependency
It's warping me
(Whoa)
So much love, so rare to dare
Afraid of ever being there
Take me home, I need repair
Take me, please, to anywhere
Descend
All the way, all the way
(Whoa)
Descended from demented men
Struggle with the art of Zen
Please don't look too close at me
You might not like what you see
She said
All the way, all the way
Everyday
Warped and scared
Of being there, of being there
Craving sends me crawling, whoa
Beg for mercy, does it show?
A vacancy that's full of holes
Hold me please, I'm feeling cold
She said
All the way, all the way
Everyday
Warped and scared
Of being there, of being there
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Fast Car
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During thi album Anthony started to do drugs again. For a long time he kept it a secret from everyone he knew. This song is a cry for help. For example:
So much love So rare to dare Afraid of Ever being there Take me home I need repair Take me please To anywhere
See?
Please don’t look Too close at me You might not like What you see
That line suggests he doesn't really want to be found out. But he still wants help.