"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.
Mailing these feelings to you
Maybe we're through . . .
Maybe we're through . . .
This ink pours out words for you
Reminding you . . .
*Chorus
Maybe it's wrong
Maybe it's right
It feels too soon to say goodbye
So where do we go
And what do we do
So much to say and there's too much to lose
Here are my last words
Envelope of last words
I wish you were here
What happened to all these years we said we would spend
We swore we would spend
*Chorus*
I must confess I love you like sin
I have so much to say but don't know where to begin
Here are my last words
Envelope of last words
Maybe we're through . . .
Maybe we're through . . .
This ink pours out words for you
Reminding you . . .
*Chorus
Maybe it's wrong
Maybe it's right
It feels too soon to say goodbye
So where do we go
And what do we do
So much to say and there's too much to lose
Here are my last words
Envelope of last words
I wish you were here
What happened to all these years we said we would spend
We swore we would spend
*Chorus*
I must confess I love you like sin
I have so much to say but don't know where to begin
Here are my last words
Envelope of last words
Lyrics submitted by Franniebaby23
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Fast Car
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
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This songs meaning is pretty easy to see. To me it's about a break up that might not be happening at the right time and this "envlope of last words" is everything the one person is feeling.
Right now this song hits me in the right spot. Every word is how I am feeling about me and my ex.....
this song means so much to me. i think he is talking about this girl that was underneath his bed, but never really existed, remotely adjacent to "the lion the witch and the wardrobe"