"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.
Will I ever get to
To where it is that I am going?
Will I ever follow through with what I
With what I had planned?
I guess it's possible (possible)
That I have been a bit distracted
And the directions for me are a lot less in demand
In demand
Will I ever get to where I'm going?
If I do, will I know when I'm there?
If the wind blew me in the right direction, yeah
Would I even care?
I would
I take a look around (look around)
It's evident the scene has changed
And there are times when I feel improved
Improved upon the past
Then there are times when I (times when I)
Can't seem to understand at all
And yes, it seems as though I'm going
Nowhere really fucking fast
Nowhere fast
Will I ever get to where I'm going?
If I do, will I know when I'm there?
If the wind blew me in the right direction, yeah
Would I even care?
I would
I would
I would
Will I ever get to where I'm going?
If I do, will I know when I'm there?
If the wind blew me in the right direction, yeah
Would I even care?
I would
I would
I would
I would
I would
To where it is that I am going?
Will I ever follow through with what I
With what I had planned?
I guess it's possible (possible)
That I have been a bit distracted
And the directions for me are a lot less in demand
In demand
Will I ever get to where I'm going?
If I do, will I know when I'm there?
If the wind blew me in the right direction, yeah
Would I even care?
I would
I take a look around (look around)
It's evident the scene has changed
And there are times when I feel improved
Improved upon the past
Then there are times when I (times when I)
Can't seem to understand at all
And yes, it seems as though I'm going
Nowhere really fucking fast
Nowhere fast
Will I ever get to where I'm going?
If I do, will I know when I'm there?
If the wind blew me in the right direction, yeah
Would I even care?
I would
I would
I would
Will I ever get to where I'm going?
If I do, will I know when I'm there?
If the wind blew me in the right direction, yeah
Would I even care?
I would
I would
I would
I would
I would
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Fast Car
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I think it's just about how he gets into ruts sometimes, and doesn't know where life is taking him... and it seems like, to him, "if I ever get to where I'm going, would I even care? I would". He want to find direction, but can't really.