"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.
You're probably wondering why I've called you here I think the time has come to make it clear my heart can't make our love bloom and grow while you're kicking it to and fro accusing it of things it never said or stepping on it like a cigarette how can I be the answer to your prayers if I'm always making minor repairs? I've been doing most of those things I'm supposed to, you've been tearing me apart and I can't compete with you you keep doing what you do and I'll keep tapin' up my heart. What we have is difficult to explain it's equal parts of boredom joy and pain it's delicate like an angel's wings based on trust and a couple of other things my heart is young and black and proud and bold you better eat it before it gets cold one more thing I can't overemphasize: it's not to be used as a flotation device. I've been doing some of those things you make fun of you've been laughing way too hard I'll salute your lofty goals while you poke me full of holes but I'll keep tapin' up my heart. I'm not what I used to be mostly cause I refuse to be. I'm the new kid on the the chopping block so take a little bit off the top there's really nothing you can throw my way that I can't ignore and hope it goes away. I know I've done a few of those bad things in lieu of those good things that I should start but we need something to do and it might as well be you so I'll keep tapin' up my heart.
Lyrics submitted by alk3girl
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Fast Car
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