"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.
Them scumbags
Them faghags
Short eyes
Dope dealers
Drive-bys
Faith healers
I'll be there
Far away
I'm floating above it all
Be there
I'll be there far away
I'll be there for you
I'll prove the holy road leads to
The snake charmers
The shoe hangers
I'll show you Sunday strollers too
The gangbangers
Spirit channelers
I want to be the one for you
I'll be the one
I bought a gun
I want to be the crowning jewel
To bad they won't believe me son
I'll be there floating above it all
I'll be there flaming
Waiting for you
Them faghags
Short eyes
Dope dealers
Drive-bys
Faith healers
I'll be there
Far away
I'm floating above it all
Be there
I'll be there far away
I'll be there for you
I'll prove the holy road leads to
The snake charmers
The shoe hangers
I'll show you Sunday strollers too
The gangbangers
Spirit channelers
I want to be the one for you
I'll be the one
I bought a gun
I want to be the crowning jewel
To bad they won't believe me son
I'll be there floating above it all
I'll be there flaming
Waiting for you
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Fast Car
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I think he's speaking from the perspective of, perhaps Satan himself, who is trying to become the omnipotent entity or God if that's what you like to call it.