"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.
As above, so below, place your bets
Which way the head will roll
Made in your image we are at least
As twisted and mean as thee
'Fore your eyes, what a curious sight
Your children have turned on you
And you say, you don't sleep well at night
Well, we'll take care of that for you
Belle Marie Antoinette
"Love the pearls!"
They'll make a great tourniquet
Never did as you should and you claim
It was all for our very own good
'Twas a lie, a magnificent lie
Now, your subjects have turned on you
And you claim you have lots on your mind
Well, we'll take care of that for you
Get that damn thing off the neck
I'm the head of the board now I'm bored of her head
Sharpen up the blade boys, what are you waiting for?
Here's where we all get ahead!
Wipe that damn smile off your face
Or we'll lop it off clean with our new guillotine
Sharpen up the blade boys, what are you waiting for?
Here's where we all get ahead!
All my troubles, all my pain
Stems from this thing that you call a "brain"
Be my guest, sever me from the source
Of all my agony
What a shame, I've forgotten my name
Without the use of my brain and
"My, bet I'll sleep well tonight!"
Without this head of mine
Get this damn thing off my neck
I'm the head of the board now I'm bored of my head
Sharpen up the blade boys, what are you waiting for?
Here's where we all get ahead!
Wipe that damn smile off your face
Or we'll lop it off clean with our new guillotine
Sharpen up the blade boys
Bells are now tolling, soon heads will be rolling
Please Sir, for me, Sir,
Won't you see if you see, Sir?
Oh dear, I dread
I seem to have lost my head
I think I left it about
It fell to the ground
And I kicked it around
Has anyone seen, no need to be mean,
My bloody, fat, ugly head?
Please Miss, for me, Sis,
Won't you see if you see, Sis
It's got black hair
And it's kickin' about in the square
I'm really not totally sure but
I think that it might have rolled into the sewer.
Has anyone seen, no need to be mean,
My bloody, fat, ugly head?
Which way the head will roll
Made in your image we are at least
As twisted and mean as thee
'Fore your eyes, what a curious sight
Your children have turned on you
And you say, you don't sleep well at night
Well, we'll take care of that for you
Belle Marie Antoinette
"Love the pearls!"
They'll make a great tourniquet
Never did as you should and you claim
It was all for our very own good
'Twas a lie, a magnificent lie
Now, your subjects have turned on you
And you claim you have lots on your mind
Well, we'll take care of that for you
Get that damn thing off the neck
I'm the head of the board now I'm bored of her head
Sharpen up the blade boys, what are you waiting for?
Here's where we all get ahead!
Wipe that damn smile off your face
Or we'll lop it off clean with our new guillotine
Sharpen up the blade boys, what are you waiting for?
Here's where we all get ahead!
All my troubles, all my pain
Stems from this thing that you call a "brain"
Be my guest, sever me from the source
Of all my agony
What a shame, I've forgotten my name
Without the use of my brain and
"My, bet I'll sleep well tonight!"
Without this head of mine
Get this damn thing off my neck
I'm the head of the board now I'm bored of my head
Sharpen up the blade boys, what are you waiting for?
Here's where we all get ahead!
Wipe that damn smile off your face
Or we'll lop it off clean with our new guillotine
Sharpen up the blade boys
Bells are now tolling, soon heads will be rolling
Please Sir, for me, Sir,
Won't you see if you see, Sir?
Oh dear, I dread
I seem to have lost my head
I think I left it about
It fell to the ground
And I kicked it around
Has anyone seen, no need to be mean,
My bloody, fat, ugly head?
Please Miss, for me, Sis,
Won't you see if you see, Sis
It's got black hair
And it's kickin' about in the square
I'm really not totally sure but
I think that it might have rolled into the sewer.
Has anyone seen, no need to be mean,
My bloody, fat, ugly head?
Lyrics submitted by faust, edited by TKProdoctions
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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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I am in love with this song... especially the end where it speed up.