"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.
Wake up on Sunday morning
Everything feels so boring
Is that where it ends
Live your life through a lens
Hair is the new hat, brown is the new black
She shouldn't wear this, he shouldn't wear that
Pleasure and leisure, make mine a double measure with friends
Fashion tardis down at Quo Vadis
Who laughs the longest who drives the hardest
Pleasure and leisure, make mine a double measure with friends
Just because I ain't double barreled
Don't mean I haven't traveled well
Can't you tell!
Oh no it's quite appalling
Your conversation is boring as hell, oh well!
Wake up on Sunday morning
And everything feels so boring
Is that where it ends
With your life through a lens
And now your boyfriend's suspicious
So go home and wash the dishes
And wash them well so he can't tell
She's looking real drab just out of rehab
I'm talking football she's talking ab fab
Your clothes are very kitch
Just because your daddy is rich
You sound so funny with your voice all plummy
Now your check's just bounced better run to your mummy
And you know it's a class act she'll never ask for it back
Just because I ain't double barreled
Don't mean I haven't traveled well
Can't you tell!
Mix with the local gentry and don't crash Tarquin's Bentley
I'll take the bends with our life through a lens
You're scared of the poor and needy
Is that why you're all inbreedy?
They're just like you, they need love too
Wake up on Sunday morning
And everything feels so boring
Is that where it ends
With your life through a lens
And now your boyfriend's suspicious
So go home and wash the dishes
And wash them well so he can't tell
Everything feels so boring
Is that where it ends
Live your life through a lens
Hair is the new hat, brown is the new black
She shouldn't wear this, he shouldn't wear that
Pleasure and leisure, make mine a double measure with friends
Fashion tardis down at Quo Vadis
Who laughs the longest who drives the hardest
Pleasure and leisure, make mine a double measure with friends
Just because I ain't double barreled
Don't mean I haven't traveled well
Can't you tell!
Oh no it's quite appalling
Your conversation is boring as hell, oh well!
Wake up on Sunday morning
And everything feels so boring
Is that where it ends
With your life through a lens
And now your boyfriend's suspicious
So go home and wash the dishes
And wash them well so he can't tell
She's looking real drab just out of rehab
I'm talking football she's talking ab fab
Your clothes are very kitch
Just because your daddy is rich
You sound so funny with your voice all plummy
Now your check's just bounced better run to your mummy
And you know it's a class act she'll never ask for it back
Just because I ain't double barreled
Don't mean I haven't traveled well
Can't you tell!
Mix with the local gentry and don't crash Tarquin's Bentley
I'll take the bends with our life through a lens
You're scared of the poor and needy
Is that why you're all inbreedy?
They're just like you, they need love too
Wake up on Sunday morning
And everything feels so boring
Is that where it ends
With your life through a lens
And now your boyfriend's suspicious
So go home and wash the dishes
And wash them well so he can't tell
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I LOVE this song!! 'You're scared of the poor and needy Is that why you're all inbreedy?' haha love it