"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.
Oh Jerusalem yeah, oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem...
Realizing that there's no place else to go
And there's nobody I know who can help me
Text book solutions are so improbable
'cause everybody else is just as empty
Naked as the day that I was born, I tried to hide
...behind education and philosophy
Hopeless explanation to describe a situation
I can't see because the world's on top of me
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Freeing me from dust, and the superficial trust
Of an enemy that seeks to take my breath
Failing to connect, 'cause I'm morally defect
By reason of the God inside my head
Causing me to see, only what pertains to me
Believing I'm alive when I'm still dead
Limited to earth, unable to find out my worth
'cause I... can't see past my own vanity
If I'm not included, then I just have to remove it
From my mind because it has to be in sanity
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Can I even factor, that I've only been an actor
In this staged interpretation of this day
Focused on the shadow, with my back turned to the light
Too intelligent to see it's me in the way
What a paradox, having God trapped in a box
All this time professing to be spiritual
Naturally pretending, that I'm actually defending
God (?) don't need material
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem, keeping thee from perfection
Submit to truth, leave the deception of thy youth
So we could walk in the council of authority
Forget the proof, our generation so aloof
Only follow in the steps of the majority
Trust in the Lord, with all thy heart
And lay not to thine, oh an understanding in all thy ways
Acknowledge Him, and He shall correct our paths
Be (?) you can follow him
We judge and condemn, just as ignorant as them
Who religion tells us that we should ignore
Perpetrating we're in covenant with Him
Exposed by the very things that we adore
We grin and shake hands, then lay ambush for the man
Who has a different point of view then us
Infuriated 'cause he doesn't understand
Bringing up those things we don't want to discuss
Why still do evil, we don't know how to do good
Walking on in darkness running from the light, ey
Led to believe, because we live in neighborhoods
Telling us what's going on will be alright
Oh so repressed, so convinced that I was blessed
When I played with my game of Monopoly
Oh to suggest, that my life is still a mess
Who reveal the pride I'm hiding is what's stopping me
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem keeping them from perfection
Abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bare
...fruit of itself except in the vine
I am the vine, ye are the branches, He's in live in me
And I in him, the same bring forth much fruit
Without me, you can do nothing
Oh Jerusalem, you're traditions have deceived you
I've chosen you, you haven't chosen me
Do whatsoever, you asking my name he may give to you
But in vain they call my name
teaching doctrines just the same
Justified among themselves
But God know with the heart, what man esteemed as smart
Is an abomination to Emmanuel
Just repent, turn from selfish motivation
So iniquity will not cause your demise
Make you a new heart and a new spirit
...for why would he die
Oh Jerusalem, please tell me why
I have no pleasure in the death of him to die
Says the Lord God where forth turn yourselves and live
It's not the talkers, but the walkers and his word
Are the only ones the Father will forgive
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem, providing you no protection
Oh Jerusalem...
Realizing that there's no place else to go
And there's nobody I know who can help me
Text book solutions are so improbable
'cause everybody else is just as empty
Naked as the day that I was born, I tried to hide
...behind education and philosophy
Hopeless explanation to describe a situation
I can't see because the world's on top of me
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Freeing me from dust, and the superficial trust
Of an enemy that seeks to take my breath
Failing to connect, 'cause I'm morally defect
By reason of the God inside my head
Causing me to see, only what pertains to me
Believing I'm alive when I'm still dead
Limited to earth, unable to find out my worth
'cause I... can't see past my own vanity
If I'm not included, then I just have to remove it
From my mind because it has to be in sanity
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Can I even factor, that I've only been an actor
In this staged interpretation of this day
Focused on the shadow, with my back turned to the light
Too intelligent to see it's me in the way
What a paradox, having God trapped in a box
All this time professing to be spiritual
Naturally pretending, that I'm actually defending
God (?) don't need material
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem, keeping thee from perfection
Submit to truth, leave the deception of thy youth
So we could walk in the council of authority
Forget the proof, our generation so aloof
Only follow in the steps of the majority
Trust in the Lord, with all thy heart
And lay not to thine, oh an understanding in all thy ways
Acknowledge Him, and He shall correct our paths
Be (?) you can follow him
We judge and condemn, just as ignorant as them
Who religion tells us that we should ignore
Perpetrating we're in covenant with Him
Exposed by the very things that we adore
We grin and shake hands, then lay ambush for the man
Who has a different point of view then us
Infuriated 'cause he doesn't understand
Bringing up those things we don't want to discuss
Why still do evil, we don't know how to do good
Walking on in darkness running from the light, ey
Led to believe, because we live in neighborhoods
Telling us what's going on will be alright
Oh so repressed, so convinced that I was blessed
When I played with my game of Monopoly
Oh to suggest, that my life is still a mess
Who reveal the pride I'm hiding is what's stopping me
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem keeping them from perfection
Abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bare
...fruit of itself except in the vine
I am the vine, ye are the branches, He's in live in me
And I in him, the same bring forth much fruit
Without me, you can do nothing
Oh Jerusalem, you're traditions have deceived you
I've chosen you, you haven't chosen me
Do whatsoever, you asking my name he may give to you
But in vain they call my name
teaching doctrines just the same
Justified among themselves
But God know with the heart, what man esteemed as smart
Is an abomination to Emmanuel
Just repent, turn from selfish motivation
So iniquity will not cause your demise
Make you a new heart and a new spirit
...for why would he die
Oh Jerusalem, please tell me why
I have no pleasure in the death of him to die
Says the Lord God where forth turn yourselves and live
It's not the talkers, but the walkers and his word
Are the only ones the Father will forgive
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem, providing you no protection
Oh Jerusalem...
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Oh Jerusalem yeah, oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem...
Realizing that there's no place else to go And there's nobody I know who can help me Text book solutions are so improbable 'cause everybody else is just as empty Naked as the day that I was born, I tried to hide ...behind education and philosophy Hopeless explanation to describe a situation I can't see because the world's on top of me Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me From the body of this death Freeing me from dust, and the superficial trust Of an enemy that seeks to take my breath Failing to connect, 'cause I'm morally defect By reason of the God inside my head Causing me to see, only what pertains to me Believing I'm alive when I'm still dead Limited to earth, unable to find out my worth 'cause I... can't see past my own vanity If I'm not included, then I just have to remove it From my mind because it has to be in sanity Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me From the body of this death Can I even factor, that I've only been an actor In this staged interpretation of this day Focused on the shadow, with my back turned to the light Too intelligent to see it's me in the way What a paradox, having God trapped in a box All this time professing to be spiritual Naturally pretending, that I'm actually defending God through my facade, don't need material
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness That thou may be saved from thy deception How long, shall thy face those lies within thee Oh Jerusalem, keeping thee from perfection
Submit to truth, leave the deception of thy youth So we could walk in the council of authority Forget the proof, our generation so aloof Only follow in the steps of the majority Trust in the Lord, with all thy heart And lay not to thine, oh an understanding in all thy ways Acknowledge Him, and He shall correct our paths Be not wise in thine own eyes and you can follow him We judge and condemn, just as ignorant as them Who religion tells us that we should ignore Perpetrating we're in covenant with Him Exposed by the very things that we adore We grin and shake hands, then lay ambush for the man Who has a different point of view then us Infuriated 'cause he doesn't understand Bringing up those things we don't want to discuss WISE IS THE NEW EVIL WHEN we don't know how to do good Walking on in darkness running from the light, ey Led to believe, because we live in neighborhoods Telling us what's going on will be alright Oh so repressed, so convinced that I was blessed When I played with my game of Monopoly Oh to suggest, that my life is still a mess Would reveal the pride I'm hiding is what's stopping me
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness That thou may be saved from thy deception How long, shall thy face those lies within thee Oh Jerusalem keeping them from perfection
Abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bare ...fruit of itself except in the vine I am the vine, ye are the branches, He delivered me And I in him, the same bring forth much fruit Without me, you can do nothing Oh Jerusalem, you're traditions have deceived you I've chosen you, you haven't chosen me Do whatsoever, you asking my name he may give to you But in vain they call my name teaching doctrines just the same Just to fight amongst themselves But God know with the heart, what man esteemed as smart Is an abomination to Emmanuel Just repent, turn from selfish motivation So iniquity will not cause your demise Make you a new heart and a new spirit ...for why would he die Oh Jerusalem, please tell me why I have no pleasure in the death of him to die Says the Lord God where forth turn yourselves and live It's not the talkers, but the walkers and his word Are the only ones the Father will forgive
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness That thou may be saved from thy deception How long, shall thy face those lies within thee Oh Jerusalem, providing you no protection
Oh Jerusalem...