"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.
A long, long time ago
I can still remember
How that music used to make me smile
And I knew that if I had my chance
I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while
Did you write the book of love?
And do you have faith in God above?
If the Bible tells you so
Now do you believe in rock and roll?
And can music save your mortal soul?
And can it teach me how to dance real slow?
Well, I know that you're in love with him
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes (both kicked off your shoes)
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
I was a lonely teenage bronkin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pick-up truck
But I knew that I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singing
Bye bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levy
But the levy was dry
And good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this will be the day that I die
This will be the day that I die
I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
Well, I went down to the sacred store
Where I heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
Well now, in the streets the children screamed (the children screamed)
The lovers cried and the poets dreamed (the poets dreamed)
But not a word was spoken (not a word was spoken)
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire the most
The father, son, and the holy ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
We started singing
Bye bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levy
But the levy was dry
And good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this will be the day that I die
This will be the day that I die
Bye bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levy
But the levy was dry
And good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this will be the day that I die
This will be the day that I die
We started singing
We started singing
We started singing
We started singing
I can still remember
How that music used to make me smile
And I knew that if I had my chance
I could make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while
Did you write the book of love?
And do you have faith in God above?
If the Bible tells you so
Now do you believe in rock and roll?
And can music save your mortal soul?
And can it teach me how to dance real slow?
Well, I know that you're in love with him
'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes (both kicked off your shoes)
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues
I was a lonely teenage bronkin' buck
With a pink carnation and a pick-up truck
But I knew that I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singing
Bye bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levy
But the levy was dry
And good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this will be the day that I die
This will be the day that I die
I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
Well, I went down to the sacred store
Where I heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
Well now, in the streets the children screamed (the children screamed)
The lovers cried and the poets dreamed (the poets dreamed)
But not a word was spoken (not a word was spoken)
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire the most
The father, son, and the holy ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
We started singing
Bye bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levy
But the levy was dry
And good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this will be the day that I die
This will be the day that I die
Bye bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levy
But the levy was dry
And good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singing this will be the day that I die
This will be the day that I die
We started singing
We started singing
We started singing
We started singing
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Fast Car
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Amazing
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I agree, the only cool version of american pie is by snuff!!!! PUNK RULES