"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.
I'll never get out these blues alive.
I'll never, I'll never, get out with these blues alive.
All a-my life, I been doomed with the blues.
I'm drinkin' black coffee and smokin' cigarettes.
I'm drinkin' back coffee an smokin' cigarettes all night.
I know I'll never, I'll never come outta these blues alive.
(Tell everybody now, Van).
Never, never, come outta these blues alive.
(No, you won't).
If I live to be a hundred.
(That's Van Morrison)
I don't think I ever will.
I can't understand, just exactly why.
I can't understand now, just exactly why.
All I know, same thing everyday.
You turn on the radio.
Hear the same thing ev'ryday.
You read a paper.
You hear the same thing, ev'ryday.
I don't know why, has to be this way.
I don't know why.
People tell ya, that change is gonna come.
Everybody tell you, some change is gonna come.
I've been through the third degree.
You know what I'm talkin' about.
(guitar solo and instrumental)
Uh, uh.
Nothin', nothin', nothin'.
I know I'll never, I know I'll never.
Get outta these blues for life.
l'lI, never, (never, never) never.
Come outta the blues, for life.
I'm doomed (doomed?)
I'm doomed.
I'm doomed with the blues, til I die.
Yeah, yeah.
Now Van, I'm drinkin' black coffee.
(Drinkin' black coffee?)
I started smokin' cigarettes all night.
I can't sleep, I can't eat.
There is no use of me layin' down.
No-no, no-no-no, no-no.
Now, Van Morrison, he asked me.
He says, 'Johnny, why, why do you sing the blues?'
I say, 'I know I'm doomed, I'm doomed.'
But all I know.
I sing the blues both night an day.
I'll never, never, come out alive yeah, alright.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Ooo.
Ooo-ooo-ooo.
I'm walkin' the floor all night long.
Jumpin' over my bed.
Jumpin' (jumpin') over my bed (over my bed).
I can't sleep (I can't sleep).
What the use? (can't sleep).
Or lay down, (lay down).
Oh no (in a room).
Ooo-ooo, I got the blues (got the blues).
Got the blues.
Got the blues, ha-ha I got 'em (got the blues).
Ooo-ooo (can't sleep)
Ooo-no, no-no, what the use?)
Ooo-ooo.
(Never, never) oh, come out the blues.
(Get out of these) blues alive (blues alive).
Oh no.
(Never, never, never, never) yeah why?
Uh (get out of these) blues alive.
No, no.
Ooo. (born with the, blues).
(Stay wit' you all your life).
I'm walkin' the floor all night.
My baby gone, says she won't be back no more.
(No more).
And that' why (look out in the street).
Ooo-ooo-ooo.
(I can't find) oh (I can't find my baby).
No where.
I'll never, I'll never, get out with these blues alive.
All a-my life, I been doomed with the blues.
I'm drinkin' black coffee and smokin' cigarettes.
I'm drinkin' back coffee an smokin' cigarettes all night.
I know I'll never, I'll never come outta these blues alive.
(Tell everybody now, Van).
Never, never, come outta these blues alive.
(No, you won't).
If I live to be a hundred.
(That's Van Morrison)
I don't think I ever will.
I can't understand, just exactly why.
I can't understand now, just exactly why.
All I know, same thing everyday.
You turn on the radio.
Hear the same thing ev'ryday.
You read a paper.
You hear the same thing, ev'ryday.
I don't know why, has to be this way.
I don't know why.
People tell ya, that change is gonna come.
Everybody tell you, some change is gonna come.
I've been through the third degree.
You know what I'm talkin' about.
(guitar solo and instrumental)
Uh, uh.
Nothin', nothin', nothin'.
I know I'll never, I know I'll never.
Get outta these blues for life.
l'lI, never, (never, never) never.
Come outta the blues, for life.
I'm doomed (doomed?)
I'm doomed.
I'm doomed with the blues, til I die.
Yeah, yeah.
Now Van, I'm drinkin' black coffee.
(Drinkin' black coffee?)
I started smokin' cigarettes all night.
I can't sleep, I can't eat.
There is no use of me layin' down.
No-no, no-no-no, no-no.
Now, Van Morrison, he asked me.
He says, 'Johnny, why, why do you sing the blues?'
I say, 'I know I'm doomed, I'm doomed.'
But all I know.
I sing the blues both night an day.
I'll never, never, come out alive yeah, alright.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Ooo.
Ooo-ooo-ooo.
I'm walkin' the floor all night long.
Jumpin' over my bed.
Jumpin' (jumpin') over my bed (over my bed).
I can't sleep (I can't sleep).
What the use? (can't sleep).
Or lay down, (lay down).
Oh no (in a room).
Ooo-ooo, I got the blues (got the blues).
Got the blues.
Got the blues, ha-ha I got 'em (got the blues).
Ooo-ooo (can't sleep)
Ooo-no, no-no, what the use?)
Ooo-ooo.
(Never, never) oh, come out the blues.
(Get out of these) blues alive (blues alive).
Oh no.
(Never, never, never, never) yeah why?
Uh (get out of these) blues alive.
No, no.
Ooo. (born with the, blues).
(Stay wit' you all your life).
I'm walkin' the floor all night.
My baby gone, says she won't be back no more.
(No more).
And that' why (look out in the street).
Ooo-ooo-ooo.
(I can't find) oh (I can't find my baby).
No where.
Lyrics submitted by Ooohwebaby, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Never Get out of These Blues Alive Lyrics as written by John Lee Hooker
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Great version of a great song,
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