"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.
My baby boy, sweet baby boy
You know I'm gonna be there for you
I said,
My baby boy, sweet baby boy,
Hey, hey
I don't know how he got your number
Oh no
I didn't even know he knew your name
I guess it isn't any wonder
When you think about it
Nothing's ever gonna be the same
My best friend told me she was having a baby
Something so right, just can't be wrong
Just when I thought she was fooling me
She started singing this song
You are mine,
My one in a million
You are mine,
My pride and joy
You are mine,
My one in a million
The light of my life
My one in a million
Boy,
I don't know what you're going to do about it
Oh no
Does he even know what's going on
You seem to think there's no doubt about it
Hey hey hey hey hey,
Girl, you're gonna to have to be so strong
My best friend told me she was having a baby
And now she's singing this song
You are mine,
My one in a million
You are mine,
My pride and joy
You are mine,
My one in a million
The light of my life
My one in a million
And whenever you need somebody
You know I'll always be there for you
Just call on me
Whenever you need to
What ever you decide to do
My baby boy
My baby boy, sweet baby boy
You know I'm going to be there for you
I said
My baby boy, sweet baby boy, hey
My best friend told me was having a baby,
And now she's singing this song
You are mine,
My one in a million
You are mine,
My pride and joy
You are mine
My one in a million
You are mine,
My pride and joy
My baby baby baby baby boy
My baby baby baby baby boy
(Ad libs)
My best friend told me she was having a baby
Boy.
You know I'm gonna be there for you
I said,
My baby boy, sweet baby boy,
Hey, hey
I don't know how he got your number
Oh no
I didn't even know he knew your name
I guess it isn't any wonder
When you think about it
Nothing's ever gonna be the same
My best friend told me she was having a baby
Something so right, just can't be wrong
Just when I thought she was fooling me
She started singing this song
You are mine,
My one in a million
You are mine,
My pride and joy
You are mine,
My one in a million
The light of my life
My one in a million
Boy,
I don't know what you're going to do about it
Oh no
Does he even know what's going on
You seem to think there's no doubt about it
Hey hey hey hey hey,
Girl, you're gonna to have to be so strong
My best friend told me she was having a baby
And now she's singing this song
You are mine,
My one in a million
You are mine,
My pride and joy
You are mine,
My one in a million
The light of my life
My one in a million
And whenever you need somebody
You know I'll always be there for you
Just call on me
Whenever you need to
What ever you decide to do
My baby boy
My baby boy, sweet baby boy
You know I'm going to be there for you
I said
My baby boy, sweet baby boy, hey
My best friend told me was having a baby,
And now she's singing this song
You are mine,
My one in a million
You are mine,
My pride and joy
You are mine
My one in a million
You are mine,
My pride and joy
My baby baby baby baby boy
My baby baby baby baby boy
(Ad libs)
My best friend told me she was having a baby
Boy.
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Jane's Addiction
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Page
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