"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.
Lord, I'm trying the best i can
I lost everybody in Kazakhstan
But I still don't understand
Bob Wilson, anchorman
I've been to Kent, Gwent, Senegal
I've even been to look for Jim Rosenthal
Found him on his knees at the wailing wall crying
"Bob Wilson, anchorman"
Well I marvel at the things we find beneath the ground
And that man can go faster than the speed of sound
But I still can't get my head around
Bob Wilson, anchorman
I'm cold and i'm hungry and i'm in dundork
I've got no bus fare, i've gotta walk
It's raining soup and i've got a fork
Where be my camper van?
Well i'd like to meet Stevenson the engineer
And i'd like to meet Faraday and buy him a beer
And i'd love to meet the bloke who had the bright idea of
Bob wilson, anchorman
I lost everybody in Kazakhstan
But I still don't understand
Bob Wilson, anchorman
I've been to Kent, Gwent, Senegal
I've even been to look for Jim Rosenthal
Found him on his knees at the wailing wall crying
"Bob Wilson, anchorman"
Well I marvel at the things we find beneath the ground
And that man can go faster than the speed of sound
But I still can't get my head around
Bob Wilson, anchorman
I'm cold and i'm hungry and i'm in dundork
I've got no bus fare, i've gotta walk
It's raining soup and i've got a fork
Where be my camper van?
Well i'd like to meet Stevenson the engineer
And i'd like to meet Faraday and buy him a beer
And i'd love to meet the bloke who had the bright idea of
Bob wilson, anchorman
Lyrics submitted by Jemma, edited by the_masked_man
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I agree