"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.
All they say can't be believed
Study up, you'll get decieved
They are here to take you down
Says paranoia's got to you
Thats cos he wants to get you too
So hurry up, keep your head down
They want you dead
They want you down
So keep your ear down to the ground
She the lies she tries to hide
Behind those pretty purple eyes
Behind her pretty honey smile
She says she wants to be your friend
But you know this is just pretend
There's poison glistening on her smile
They want you dead
They want you down
So keep your ear down to the ground
Not climbing up to the clock tower
You know they'd think that that's your power
But you're gonna wear them down
You figure they won't be in your head
When it turns out that you're dead
You laugh as you drown them in your blood
They want you dead
They want you down
So keep your ear down to the ground
They want you dead
They want you down
But now you're dead they scream making no sound
Study up, you'll get decieved
They are here to take you down
Says paranoia's got to you
Thats cos he wants to get you too
So hurry up, keep your head down
They want you dead
They want you down
So keep your ear down to the ground
She the lies she tries to hide
Behind those pretty purple eyes
Behind her pretty honey smile
She says she wants to be your friend
But you know this is just pretend
There's poison glistening on her smile
They want you dead
They want you down
So keep your ear down to the ground
Not climbing up to the clock tower
You know they'd think that that's your power
But you're gonna wear them down
You figure they won't be in your head
When it turns out that you're dead
You laugh as you drown them in your blood
They want you dead
They want you down
So keep your ear down to the ground
They want you dead
They want you down
But now you're dead they scream making no sound
Lyrics submitted by xpankfrisst
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