"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.
He watches her from behind
As she walks across the floor
Doesn't move, no
But his eyes caress her shoulders
While the coffee he bought gets cold
He watches her from behind
So she knows and she won't turn
But her hands shake
It's a shame she won't see the smile he wears
Cause it's only for her he smiles
I guess I knew from the start
He wouldn't play the main part
I guess I knew all along
He would appear in this song
Pretending this is a film
Now a close-up on her neck
And some soft lights
But the film will no reveal her voice
Cause this script doesn't have any lines
I guess I knew from the start
He wouldn't play the main part
I guess I knew all along
He would appear in this song
He watches her from behind
While her girlfriend gives advice
Doesn't listen
But her mind's obsessed with one desire
How she wants him to see her face
He watches her from behind
And that's all there'll ever be
And don't blame her
Another life or some other cafe
And they just might have found a way
I guess I knew from the start
He wouldn't play the main part
I guess I knew all along
He would appear in this song
As she walks across the floor
Doesn't move, no
But his eyes caress her shoulders
While the coffee he bought gets cold
He watches her from behind
So she knows and she won't turn
But her hands shake
It's a shame she won't see the smile he wears
Cause it's only for her he smiles
I guess I knew from the start
He wouldn't play the main part
I guess I knew all along
He would appear in this song
Pretending this is a film
Now a close-up on her neck
And some soft lights
But the film will no reveal her voice
Cause this script doesn't have any lines
I guess I knew from the start
He wouldn't play the main part
I guess I knew all along
He would appear in this song
He watches her from behind
While her girlfriend gives advice
Doesn't listen
But her mind's obsessed with one desire
How she wants him to see her face
He watches her from behind
And that's all there'll ever be
And don't blame her
Another life or some other cafe
And they just might have found a way
I guess I knew from the start
He wouldn't play the main part
I guess I knew all along
He would appear in this song
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
He Watches Her From Behind Lyrics as written by Stina Nordenstam
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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