"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.
I've been trying for hours just to think of what exactly to say
I thought I'd leave you with a letter of fiery speech
Like when an actor makes an exit at the end of the play
And I've been dying for hours
Trying to fill up all the holes with some sense
I'd like to know how you faded and you threw it away
I'd like to give you all the reasons and what everything meant
Well I could tell you good-bye
Or maybe see you around
With just a touch of sarcastic thanks
We started out with a bang
And at the top of the world
Now the guns are exhausted
And the bullets are blanks
And everything's blank
If I could only find the words then I would write them all down
If I could only find a voice I would speak
But it's there in my eyes so can't you see me tonight
C'Mon and look at me and read 'em and weep
If I could only find the words then I would write them all down
If I could only find a voice I would speak
Oh it's there in my eyes so can't you see me tonight
C'Mon and look at me and read 'em and weep
I've been whispering softly
Trying to build a cry up to scream
We let the past slip away
And put the future on hold
Now the present is nothing but a hollowed out dream
I've been dying for hours
Trying to fill up the holes eith some sense
I'd like to know why you faded and you threw it away
I'd like to give you all the reasons
And what everything meant
Well I could tell you good-bye
Or maybe see you around
With just a touch of sarcastic thanks
But now the rooms are all empty
And the candles are dark
The guns are exhausted
The bullets are blanks
And everything's blank
If I could only find the words then I would write them all down
If I could only find a voice I would speak
oh it's there in my eyes oh can't you see me tonight
C'Mon and look at me and read 'em and weep
It's there in my eyes and coming straight from my heart
It's running silent and angry and deep
It's there in my eyes and it's all I can say
C'Mon and read 'em and weep
Read 'em and weep
For all the hours we'll be spending alone
Read 'em and weep
For the dreams we'll ignore
Running silent and deep
And all those promises we promised to keep
They won't be kept anymore
Read 'em and weep
For the magic that our bodies had made
Read 'em and weep
For the blood that we've lost
Running silent and deep
And all those secrets that we somehow betrayed
For whatever the cost
Read 'em and weep
For the memories still alive in the bed
Read 'em and weep
For the lies we believed
Running silent and deep
And all the things that can never be said
C'Mon and look at me and read 'em and weep
Why don't you look at me and read 'em and weep
It's there in my eyes and coming straight from my heart
It's running silent and angry and deep
But it's there in my eyes so can't you see me tonight
C'Mon and look at me and read 'em and weep
I thought I'd leave you with a letter of fiery speech
Like when an actor makes an exit at the end of the play
And I've been dying for hours
Trying to fill up all the holes with some sense
I'd like to know how you faded and you threw it away
I'd like to give you all the reasons and what everything meant
Well I could tell you good-bye
Or maybe see you around
With just a touch of sarcastic thanks
We started out with a bang
And at the top of the world
Now the guns are exhausted
And the bullets are blanks
And everything's blank
If I could only find the words then I would write them all down
If I could only find a voice I would speak
But it's there in my eyes so can't you see me tonight
C'Mon and look at me and read 'em and weep
If I could only find the words then I would write them all down
If I could only find a voice I would speak
Oh it's there in my eyes so can't you see me tonight
C'Mon and look at me and read 'em and weep
I've been whispering softly
Trying to build a cry up to scream
We let the past slip away
And put the future on hold
Now the present is nothing but a hollowed out dream
I've been dying for hours
Trying to fill up the holes eith some sense
I'd like to know why you faded and you threw it away
I'd like to give you all the reasons
And what everything meant
Well I could tell you good-bye
Or maybe see you around
With just a touch of sarcastic thanks
But now the rooms are all empty
And the candles are dark
The guns are exhausted
The bullets are blanks
And everything's blank
If I could only find the words then I would write them all down
If I could only find a voice I would speak
oh it's there in my eyes oh can't you see me tonight
C'Mon and look at me and read 'em and weep
It's there in my eyes and coming straight from my heart
It's running silent and angry and deep
It's there in my eyes and it's all I can say
C'Mon and read 'em and weep
Read 'em and weep
For all the hours we'll be spending alone
Read 'em and weep
For the dreams we'll ignore
Running silent and deep
And all those promises we promised to keep
They won't be kept anymore
Read 'em and weep
For the magic that our bodies had made
Read 'em and weep
For the blood that we've lost
Running silent and deep
And all those secrets that we somehow betrayed
For whatever the cost
Read 'em and weep
For the memories still alive in the bed
Read 'em and weep
For the lies we believed
Running silent and deep
And all the things that can never be said
C'Mon and look at me and read 'em and weep
Why don't you look at me and read 'em and weep
It's there in my eyes and coming straight from my heart
It's running silent and angry and deep
But it's there in my eyes so can't you see me tonight
C'Mon and look at me and read 'em and weep
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
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