"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.
Some people call me the Creeper
'Cause they don't know my name or face
I got 'em running in circles
Because a homicidal genius never leaves a trace
I'm a lonely hunter
City full of game
Walkin' in the neon lights
[Chorus:]
Chop, chop, chop, engine of destruction
Chop, chop, chop, a perfect killing machine
Chop, chop, chop, it's a symbiotic function
Chop, chop, chop, I keep the city so clean
Chop, chop, chop
Some people call me the Ripper
Stole my modus operandi from the movie screen
She's just a celluloid stripper
Just another bloody player in my splatter-filled dream
Women on the streets
Want money when we meet
I take them for a little ride
[Chorus]
She was standing on the corner
With her bright red lips
Her face was so white and pale (so pale)
She had a black leather skirt
That was tight to her hips
And an anklet with a name
It spelled M-A-R-Y... Gail
Gail, Gail, Gail, Gail
Gail, Gail, Gail, Gail
'Cause they don't know my name or face
I got 'em running in circles
Because a homicidal genius never leaves a trace
I'm a lonely hunter
City full of game
Walkin' in the neon lights
[Chorus:]
Chop, chop, chop, engine of destruction
Chop, chop, chop, a perfect killing machine
Chop, chop, chop, it's a symbiotic function
Chop, chop, chop, I keep the city so clean
Chop, chop, chop
Some people call me the Ripper
Stole my modus operandi from the movie screen
She's just a celluloid stripper
Just another bloody player in my splatter-filled dream
Women on the streets
Want money when we meet
I take them for a little ride
[Chorus]
She was standing on the corner
With her bright red lips
Her face was so white and pale (so pale)
She had a black leather skirt
That was tight to her hips
And an anklet with a name
It spelled M-A-R-Y... Gail
Gail, Gail, Gail, Gail
Gail, Gail, Gail, Gail
Lyrics submitted by Boonechic_21
Chop, Chop, Chop Lyrics as written by Roberts Cooper
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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I agree with Morbid. Great song from my favorite Alice Cooper album. I think it's about a murderer who kills prostitutes, hence the line "I keep the city so clean", and the fact that the victim in this song was wearing a tight, black leather skirt.
It's also obvious he's completly insane... my friend and I were listening to this in my car once, and when it started on the "It spelled M A R Y... Gail" part, neither of us thought it was weird. His first victim was probably a girlfriend or something called Gail who he had an obsession with, a bit like that Steven King short story about that guy who kills women with a hammer, I think.
Such a great song anyway, love the words.
@jlb1987 I've always thought the "M-A-R-Y -- Gail" thing was weird too, but considering your comment, I'm going with the hypothesis that he's so obsessed with wanting to kill Gail (whether he already has or not) that he's projecting Gail onto Mary, despite the direct evidence (the anklet) that she's not Gail.