"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.
Stand and deliver
I'm the dandy highwayman who you're too scared to mention
I spend my cash on looking flash and grabbing your attention
The devil take your stereo and your record collection (oh-oh)
The way you look you'll qualify for next year's old age pension
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Try and use a mirror no bullet or a knife
I'm the dandy highwayman so sick of easy fashion
The clumsy boots, peek-a-boo roots that people think so dashing
So what's the point of robbery when nothing is worth taking? (oh oh)
It's kind of tough to tell a scruff the big mistake he's making
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Try and use a mirror no bullet or a knife
And even though you fool your soul
Your conscience will be mine
All mine
We're the dandy highwaymen so tired of excuses
Of deep meaning philosophies where only showbiz loses
We're the dandy highwaymen and here's our invitation (oh oh)
"Throw your safety overboard and join our insect nation"
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Try and use a mirror no bullet or a knife
And even though you fool your soul
Your conscience will be mine
All mine
Qua qua da diddley qua qua da diddley
Qua qua da diddley qua qua da diddley
Qua qua da diddley qua qua da diddley
Qua qua da diddley qua qua da diddley
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
I'm the dandy highwayman who you're too scared to mention
I spend my cash on looking flash and grabbing your attention
The devil take your stereo and your record collection (oh-oh)
The way you look you'll qualify for next year's old age pension
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Try and use a mirror no bullet or a knife
I'm the dandy highwayman so sick of easy fashion
The clumsy boots, peek-a-boo roots that people think so dashing
So what's the point of robbery when nothing is worth taking? (oh oh)
It's kind of tough to tell a scruff the big mistake he's making
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Try and use a mirror no bullet or a knife
And even though you fool your soul
Your conscience will be mine
All mine
We're the dandy highwaymen so tired of excuses
Of deep meaning philosophies where only showbiz loses
We're the dandy highwaymen and here's our invitation (oh oh)
"Throw your safety overboard and join our insect nation"
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Try and use a mirror no bullet or a knife
And even though you fool your soul
Your conscience will be mine
All mine
Qua qua da diddley qua qua da diddley
Qua qua da diddley qua qua da diddley
Qua qua da diddley qua qua da diddley
Qua qua da diddley qua qua da diddley
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
Stand and deliver your money or your life
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I love Adam Ant. I've never known a man dress so good!
@Soul_Haemorrage <br /> Bowie?<br /> Sorry. Couldn't resist. <br /> Other glam/glitter rockers?<br /> Once again, sorry I took that as a challenge
In the the book 1000 UK Number One Hits by Jon Kutner & Spencer Leigh, Adam Ant yays of this song “Its just stealing peoples attention. I’m a very big history fan of certainly the Georgian era and I like the flamboyance and sexuality and bawdiness of the time. I’ve seen films like Tom Jones and I grew up going to Saturday morning pictures and seeing all these other influences. I put them all together and ‘Stand And Deliver’ was just purely grabbing people’s attention and using the whole sort of classical English highwayman feel as a theme."
i love this song!
How can you not like a song which includes the lyrics "qa qa, da-diddley qa qa..."
nope he clearly states:
try and use a mirror, no bullet or a knife
watch one of his live performances of the song, and you'll hear it.
This song rocks. I think Adam is taking the piss out of himself but then again his promoting himself as well. What a dandy highwayman
I was not alive to have heard this song when it first came out. A family member introduced me to this band and when I listened to this song, I loved it! :D
I'm a massive Horrible Histories fan and my favourite song off there is the Dick Turpin one. My dad came in when I was watching it and said "Hey- that song is just like Adam and the Ant's Stand and Deliver! they must have taken the idea from there!" Out of curiosity I found and listened to this song and found he was right! I love it! If you like this then watch the Dick Turpin song!
STAND AND DELIVER! YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE! LOL!
Apart from the fun side of the song, it seems clear that the message is: "Outlaws are cool, everyone else is fooled and foolish".\n\nIt highlights the vacuity of the fashion and show business industries and how much stock most people put in to the value of these things, which we all know lasts but a year at most. It comments on how people use their appearance to hide the gap in their lives and soul - we all know people that are more style than substance.
fucking cool song, the chorus shout is so fucking cool, the way the percussion sample stamps like boots beofre everyoe goes "Oi!" or whatever.