"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.
When you look at me I know
You see a sixteen year-old
Getting his dough
Back and forth to the studios
Hoppin' out of limousines
Rockin' the latest jeans
Jordan's-fresh
T-shirts-new
And even though these things are true
It's hard workin'
Sometimes I just want to
Go home and tell my girl to?
Braid my hair
C'mon and braid my hair
Back in my 'hood
Feeling good
No worries or no cares
Baby use your hands
To make me feel alright
And take away the stress and drama
In my life
While you braid my hair
You may think that I'm complaining
But that's not the case
All I'm sayin'
Is my body gets weak
My mind gets tired
I need sleep
But I gotta keep
Traveling on the road
Doing these shows
New York to Cali
Dallas to Philly
It's the rules of the game
That I chose to play
But sometimes I wanna say?
Braid my hair
C'mon and braid my hair
Back in my 'hood
Feeling good
No worries or no cares
Baby use your hands
To make me feel alright
And take away the stress and drama
In my life
While you braid my hair
Sit me down like you love me
Do it anyway you want
Baby, take it slowly
Front to back, side to side
Crisscross
Get creative wit it
Girl, do your thang
Put it down like you love me
Let your fingers do the walkin'
And your lips do the talkin'
In my ear tell me what I wanna hear
I swear I can't wait for you to?
Braid my hair
C'mon and braid my hair
Back in my 'hood
Feeling good
No worries or no cares
Baby use your hands
To make me feel alright
And take away the stress and drama
In my life
While you braid my hair
You see a sixteen year-old
Getting his dough
Back and forth to the studios
Hoppin' out of limousines
Rockin' the latest jeans
Jordan's-fresh
T-shirts-new
And even though these things are true
It's hard workin'
Sometimes I just want to
Go home and tell my girl to?
Braid my hair
C'mon and braid my hair
Back in my 'hood
Feeling good
No worries or no cares
Baby use your hands
To make me feel alright
And take away the stress and drama
In my life
While you braid my hair
You may think that I'm complaining
But that's not the case
All I'm sayin'
Is my body gets weak
My mind gets tired
I need sleep
But I gotta keep
Traveling on the road
Doing these shows
New York to Cali
Dallas to Philly
It's the rules of the game
That I chose to play
But sometimes I wanna say?
Braid my hair
C'mon and braid my hair
Back in my 'hood
Feeling good
No worries or no cares
Baby use your hands
To make me feel alright
And take away the stress and drama
In my life
While you braid my hair
Sit me down like you love me
Do it anyway you want
Baby, take it slowly
Front to back, side to side
Crisscross
Get creative wit it
Girl, do your thang
Put it down like you love me
Let your fingers do the walkin'
And your lips do the talkin'
In my ear tell me what I wanna hear
I swear I can't wait for you to?
Braid my hair
C'mon and braid my hair
Back in my 'hood
Feeling good
No worries or no cares
Baby use your hands
To make me feel alright
And take away the stress and drama
In my life
While you braid my hair
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Fast Car
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People never cease to amaze me. Why even give the interpretation of this song? It's blatantly obvious. That is the whole point. It's not meatn to be metaphorical, it's clearly stated what it is about. Don't get me wrong Mairo is one of the most talented singers I have ever heard, but his lyrics aren't anything great, nor do they need translation.