"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.
Silver and gold and it's growing cold
Autumn leaves lay as thick as thieves
Shivers down your spine chill you to the bone
'Cause the mandolin wind is the melody that turns
Your heart to stone
The heat of your breath carving shadows on the mist
Every angel has the wish that she's never been kissed
A broken dream haunting in your sleep
And hiding in your smile a secret you must keep
Love cuts you deep
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
There's no scarlet in you, lay your veil down for me
As sure as God made wine, you can't wrap your arms
Around a memory
Take warmth from me, cold Autumn winds cut sharp
As a knife
And in the dark for me, you're the candle flame that
Flickers to life
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Wise men say all is fair in love and war
There's no right or wrong in the design of love
And I could only watch as the wind crushed your wings
Broken and torn crushed like the flower under the snow
Like the flower in spring
Love will rise again to heal your wings
Love heals the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love heals the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love heals the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love will heal the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Autumn leaves lay as thick as thieves
Shivers down your spine chill you to the bone
'Cause the mandolin wind is the melody that turns
Your heart to stone
The heat of your breath carving shadows on the mist
Every angel has the wish that she's never been kissed
A broken dream haunting in your sleep
And hiding in your smile a secret you must keep
Love cuts you deep
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
There's no scarlet in you, lay your veil down for me
As sure as God made wine, you can't wrap your arms
Around a memory
Take warmth from me, cold Autumn winds cut sharp
As a knife
And in the dark for me, you're the candle flame that
Flickers to life
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love breaks the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Wise men say all is fair in love and war
There's no right or wrong in the design of love
And I could only watch as the wind crushed your wings
Broken and torn crushed like the flower under the snow
Like the flower in spring
Love will rise again to heal your wings
Love heals the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love heals the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love heals the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
Love will heal the wings of a butterfly on a wheel
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Fast Car
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@foreverafternoon Sort of - it's where the relationship between the two had broken down; Julianne also reportedly penned a song "Scarlett" which reflected on this