"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.
What do we want? Peace!
When do we want it? Now!
What do we want? Freedom!
When do we want it? Now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Black, white, yellow, red
Copulate in a king-size bed
Black, white, yellow, red
Copulate in a king-size bed
Hell no! We won't go!
Hell no! We won't go!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Ain't got no grass
Can't take no trip
Ain't got no acid
Can't blow my mind
Ain't got no clothes
You're full of puss
Ain't got no pad
You're full of piss
Ain't got no apples
We got balls
Ain't got no knives
Can't cut you up
Ain't got no guns
We got bananas
Ain't got no garbage
White trash!
Ain't got no draft card
Burned it, burned it, burned it
Ain't got no earth
Ain't got no fun
Ain't got no bike
Ain't got no pimples
Ain't got no trees
Ain't got no air
Ain't got no water
City, banjo, toothpicks, shoelaces
Teachers, football, telephone, records
Doctor, brother, sister, uniforms
Machine guns, airplanes, germs
M-1 (bang bang bang)
M-2 (bang bang bang)
A bombs
H bombs
P bombs
Q bombs
Chinese, Czechs, Hindus, Bindus
Italianos, Polacks, Germans
Youse, Jews
Ups and downs
Vietnam, Johnson, high school, sex
Coffee, books, food, scissors, magazines, news, cigarettes
Hollywood, TV, Tuesday Weld, Burton-Taylor
Pop art, pop off, popcorn, popsicle
Andy Warpop, pop paper, pop up, popeye
Poppers, Napalm, England, outer space
Astronauts, Jesus
Air, air, air, air
Air, air, air
When do we want it? Now!
What do we want? Freedom!
When do we want it? Now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Black, white, yellow, red
Copulate in a king-size bed
Black, white, yellow, red
Copulate in a king-size bed
Hell no! We won't go!
Hell no! We won't go!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Peace, now! Freedom, now!
Ain't got no grass
Can't take no trip
Ain't got no acid
Can't blow my mind
Ain't got no clothes
You're full of puss
Ain't got no pad
You're full of piss
Ain't got no apples
We got balls
Ain't got no knives
Can't cut you up
Ain't got no guns
We got bananas
Ain't got no garbage
White trash!
Ain't got no draft card
Burned it, burned it, burned it
Ain't got no earth
Ain't got no fun
Ain't got no bike
Ain't got no pimples
Ain't got no trees
Ain't got no air
Ain't got no water
City, banjo, toothpicks, shoelaces
Teachers, football, telephone, records
Doctor, brother, sister, uniforms
Machine guns, airplanes, germs
M-1 (bang bang bang)
M-2 (bang bang bang)
A bombs
H bombs
P bombs
Q bombs
Chinese, Czechs, Hindus, Bindus
Italianos, Polacks, Germans
Youse, Jews
Ups and downs
Vietnam, Johnson, high school, sex
Coffee, books, food, scissors, magazines, news, cigarettes
Hollywood, TV, Tuesday Weld, Burton-Taylor
Pop art, pop off, popcorn, popsicle
Andy Warpop, pop paper, pop up, popeye
Poppers, Napalm, England, outer space
Astronauts, Jesus
Air, air, air, air
Air, air, air
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