"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 hair is black and red.
My hair is yello.
My eyes are brown and green and blue.
My name is Jack and Fred.
My name's Amanda Sue.
I'm called Kareem Abdul.
My name is you.
I live in southern France.
I'm from a Texas ranch.
I come from Mecca and Peru.
I live across the street,
In the mountains, on a beach.
I come from everywhere
And my name is you.
Chorus:
We all sing with the same voice,
The same song, the same voice.
Wg all sing with the same voice,
And we sing in jarmony.
Sometimes I get mad and mean.
Sometimes I feel happy.
And when I want to cry, I do.
When I'm by myself at night,
I hold my teddy tight
Until the morning light.
My name is you.
I have sisters one, two, three.
In my family there's just me.
I've got one daddy.
I've got two.
Grandpa helps me cross the street.
My cat walks on furry feet.
I love my parakeet.
My name is you.
(repeat chorus.)
I like to run and climb.
I like to sit and read.
I like to watch my TV, too.
And when it's time for bed,
I like my stories read,
"Sweet dreams" and "Love you" said,
My name is you.
(repeat chorus.)
My hair is yello.
My eyes are brown and green and blue.
My name is Jack and Fred.
My name's Amanda Sue.
I'm called Kareem Abdul.
My name is you.
I live in southern France.
I'm from a Texas ranch.
I come from Mecca and Peru.
I live across the street,
In the mountains, on a beach.
I come from everywhere
And my name is you.
Chorus:
We all sing with the same voice,
The same song, the same voice.
Wg all sing with the same voice,
And we sing in jarmony.
Sometimes I get mad and mean.
Sometimes I feel happy.
And when I want to cry, I do.
When I'm by myself at night,
I hold my teddy tight
Until the morning light.
My name is you.
I have sisters one, two, three.
In my family there's just me.
I've got one daddy.
I've got two.
Grandpa helps me cross the street.
My cat walks on furry feet.
I love my parakeet.
My name is you.
(repeat chorus.)
I like to run and climb.
I like to sit and read.
I like to watch my TV, too.
And when it's time for bed,
I like my stories read,
"Sweet dreams" and "Love you" said,
My name is you.
(repeat chorus.)
Lyrics submitted by uncreative
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Fast Car
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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