"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.
My father told me son
Its okay to have ideas
But beliefs against your government
Still won't pay your bills
You can raise your fists
And publicly resist
But in the end
Corruption still exists
And no protest song will ever change the world
When everybody does exactly as they're told
In the end every man work for what is his
You can fight the world
But it's just the way it is
Your words aren't
Are not meaningless to me
I feel their honesty but it's my
Life I gotta figure out for me
It's what I've always done not want
I have become and I know the consequences
That will come
And if I never reach the world or speak
To people's souls
It's a passion that will not die as I grow old
It's what I choose to do
It may not work for you
But to myself I know I must be true
I am not ashamed to stand right where I've stood
My beliefs they are unchanged
Because I believe they should
And I'll measure my success
One word at a time
If the truth is spoken
Will I stand the test of time
Its okay to have ideas
But beliefs against your government
Still won't pay your bills
You can raise your fists
And publicly resist
But in the end
Corruption still exists
And no protest song will ever change the world
When everybody does exactly as they're told
In the end every man work for what is his
You can fight the world
But it's just the way it is
Your words aren't
Are not meaningless to me
I feel their honesty but it's my
Life I gotta figure out for me
It's what I've always done not want
I have become and I know the consequences
That will come
And if I never reach the world or speak
To people's souls
It's a passion that will not die as I grow old
It's what I choose to do
It may not work for you
But to myself I know I must be true
I am not ashamed to stand right where I've stood
My beliefs they are unchanged
Because I believe they should
And I'll measure my success
One word at a time
If the truth is spoken
Will I stand the test of time
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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AAAAAHHHH!!!! I love this band.
And I'm so torn, one hand hand I would have loved Jim to stick around and make more, but on the other hand, this single album is so great that nothing could compare.
We miss you Jim, but this album is the best legacy a Punk Rock star can ask for.