"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.
On the outside underneath the wall
All the money couldn't buy
You're mistaken no one's standing there
For the record no one tried
Oh I try to
What if we give it away?
Overlooking with a hollow eye
What's pretending is it right
Eye for order a hand for what's in line
Couldn't follow couldn't write
And our life is fine here
Stitch it on your tie here
There's the trailer Tom
A year has come and gone
Were not moving was it right
Take the order sew it on your tie
We couldn't follow couldn't try
All the money couldn't buy
You're mistaken no one's standing there
For the record no one tried
Oh I try to
What if we give it away?
Overlooking with a hollow eye
What's pretending is it right
Eye for order a hand for what's in line
Couldn't follow couldn't write
And our life is fine here
Stitch it on your tie here
There's the trailer Tom
A year has come and gone
Were not moving was it right
Take the order sew it on your tie
We couldn't follow couldn't try
Lyrics submitted by xpankfrisst
What If We Give It Away? Lyrics as written by Peter Buck Bill Berry
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The line sounds like 'What if we give it all away'. I think the song is about moving on in life,leaving the worries and/or worldly pleasures behind.
@local_151_fella <br /> It's a late response, but your analysis has a touch of the Jesus/Christian element<br /> I see the song as the American clash between European and the Native Americans