"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.
You kids are the bravest
And I'll admit I doubted this enterprise
how was I wrong
Now that I have your attention
and evening kisses have the power to bring out the truth
Both close your eyes
Imagine you're standing still
Not surrounded by family and friends and pillars of salt
I hope that you've learned to ignore, detractors that cling to you
They're just nervous and don't want you to fail
But remember, a parent's advice will never be as good as (take the place of) experience
Go now live life for the first time
But don't forget to make promises about sickness and health / for richer and poorer everyday
You may not be a man yet
You may not be a woman yet
But you're smart/strong enough to know it's not the 1700s
And you can lock and open doors together
Honeymoon drive
a car so full of amazement it's amazing the wheels can roll on
We all know that it's dry out west
Nervous palms make the air wet
So do the kisses
Sweet words exchanged each passing mile
Memories made each passing line, may last forever
And I'll admit I doubted this enterprise
how was I wrong
Now that I have your attention
and evening kisses have the power to bring out the truth
Both close your eyes
Imagine you're standing still
Not surrounded by family and friends and pillars of salt
I hope that you've learned to ignore, detractors that cling to you
They're just nervous and don't want you to fail
But remember, a parent's advice will never be as good as (take the place of) experience
Go now live life for the first time
But don't forget to make promises about sickness and health / for richer and poorer everyday
You may not be a man yet
You may not be a woman yet
But you're smart/strong enough to know it's not the 1700s
And you can lock and open doors together
Honeymoon drive
a car so full of amazement it's amazing the wheels can roll on
We all know that it's dry out west
Nervous palms make the air wet
So do the kisses
Sweet words exchanged each passing mile
Memories made each passing line, may last forever
Lyrics submitted by carboncentric
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this song is about a couple and everyone said it wouldn't work when they got together, but they stuck with it and it worked. and he's saying that even if it woudln't have worked, they need to experience it for themselves "But remember, a parent's advice will never be as good as (take the place of) experience Go now live life for the first time" the line about the 1700s and locking and opening doors... i think is about sex. i may be wrong. the 1700's was a very sexually repressed time, i.e. no sex before marriage etc, and locking and opening doors... imagine a key.. and a lock.. you get the idea. just a guess