"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.
Dès l'instant où je l'ai vue
Alors j'ai tout de suite su,
Ces cheveux blonds, ces yeux qui brillent
C'était en plein ton genre de fille
Tu t'es levé, et tu lui a parlé
Le courant est tout de suite passé
Depuis qu'elle est entrée dans ta vie,
Elle n'en est jamais ressortie!
De toute façon fait c'que tu veux
Pourvu qu'tout aille pour le mieux
Mais n'oublie jamais tes amis
Parce que tu comptes pour eux aussi
Toutes ces années qu'on a passées
A s'engueuler, s'réconcilier
Ca peut pas s'effacer comme ça
Fais un effort, n'nous oublies pas!
T'es amoureux; profites-en
Crois-moi ça n'arrives pas souvent
Mais laisse pas l'âge t'en imposer
Et n'laisse pas la vie te casser!
Même avec la fille de sa vie
Personne ne sait comment ça finit
P'tête qu'un jour ça se terminera
Mais nous on sera toujours là!
De toute façon fait c'que tu veux
L'important c'est qu'tu sois heureux
Mais n'oublies jamais tes amis
Ceux à qui tu avais promis
De ne jamais tourner le dos
De ne jamais garder rancune
Car une amitié qui se termine
N'en aura jamais été une...
Alors j'ai tout de suite su,
Ces cheveux blonds, ces yeux qui brillent
C'était en plein ton genre de fille
Tu t'es levé, et tu lui a parlé
Le courant est tout de suite passé
Depuis qu'elle est entrée dans ta vie,
Elle n'en est jamais ressortie!
De toute façon fait c'que tu veux
Pourvu qu'tout aille pour le mieux
Mais n'oublie jamais tes amis
Parce que tu comptes pour eux aussi
Toutes ces années qu'on a passées
A s'engueuler, s'réconcilier
Ca peut pas s'effacer comme ça
Fais un effort, n'nous oublies pas!
T'es amoureux; profites-en
Crois-moi ça n'arrives pas souvent
Mais laisse pas l'âge t'en imposer
Et n'laisse pas la vie te casser!
Même avec la fille de sa vie
Personne ne sait comment ça finit
P'tête qu'un jour ça se terminera
Mais nous on sera toujours là!
De toute façon fait c'que tu veux
L'important c'est qu'tu sois heureux
Mais n'oublies jamais tes amis
Ceux à qui tu avais promis
De ne jamais tourner le dos
De ne jamais garder rancune
Car une amitié qui se termine
N'en aura jamais été une...
Lyrics submitted by coolensale
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