"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.
Frank Zappa (lead guitar, synthesizer, vocals)
Ike Willis (rhythm guitar, synthesizer, vocals)
Mike Keneally (rhythm guitar, synthesizer, vocals)
Bobby Martin (keyboards, vocals)
Ed Mann (vibes, marimba, electronic percussion)
Walt Fowler (trumpet, flugel horn, synthesizer)
Bruce Fowler (trombone)
Paul Carman (alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone)
Albert Wing (tenor saxophone)
Kurt McGettrick (baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, contrabass clarinet)
Scott Thunes (electric bass, mini-moog)
Chad Wackerman (drums, electronic percussion)
[This is spoken with the style and accent of an evangelist preacher from the southern United States.]
Thank you very much, Mr. Zappa.
Ah, I'm very pleased to be here on behalf of the Administration-- the most powerful government in the world. And, uh, Mr. Fitzwater invited me to come here tonight to create some balance, because there has been some things done by Mr. Zappa that I think are unfair to our country.
I think, from the beginning, to say that this is going to be balanced, when he has this *lingerie* up here, and makin' fun of *children's toys*, as a beginning, if this is what he has in mind, I think he's wrong.
It's people like Mr. Frank Zappa that kept the Senate from being able to send arms to the democratic freedom fighters in Nicaragua! And I, for one, am headin' down there myself, as soon as I finish up here tonight.
And I want the elected official, Mr. Charlie Sanders the Democrat, to remember that "Democrat" begins with a "D", just like DEMON! And we'll remember you, friend, when it comes votin' time. And Margaret Boyd[?] and Carmen Belacord[?], despite ...[?] habit, did some help to back things up.
Friends, these forms cost money. And this money could be going towards a more powerful military; this money could be going towards driving out the illegal aliens. Instead, Mr. Zappa wants to have a bunch of young, uninformed 18 to 21-year-olds votin' here, and spendin' your money.
And I just want you to know that tonight, I *love* him anyway. Because I've got love in my heart, and I'm not afraid of the fact that he turned this into some kind of zoo up here.
Sunday--that's not fair, Mr. Zappa--Sunday night used to be a night in which Americans would get together. They'd go to their place of worship, and they would share. And I don't know why, on this night which is supposed to be Valentine's night, there aren't more people that have a heart that have a love affair with America. But instead, they're here on Sunday night, worshipping this man who's demon-possessed!
I ask you, Mr. Frank Zappa, what kind of man can name a child Moon Unit? What kind of man can name a child Weasel? What kind of man can name a child Ohman? To me, it defies the logic.
And I'm comin' here tonight because I want to share with him, just the same way we're going to give spirit power to the democratic freedom fighters down there, our brothers that wanna have the freedom to be able to have a man like Pat Robertson. To have a man like Mr. Dole. Restore, America!
And I'm gonna ask the power and the joy and the power of the living king of kings, and a lot of you here, you smut-minded, musical people say, "King of kings, that must be Elvis". No, I'm gonna ask for the power and ask for the glory. I'm gonna now, I'm gonna tell you a story. I'm gonna drive out the demons, friends. I'm gonna ask you to help this badness end. Come on Frank, let's have a story. Come on now share the glory. Do you feel the power? Come on, put out the negativity...
Ike Willis (rhythm guitar, synthesizer, vocals)
Mike Keneally (rhythm guitar, synthesizer, vocals)
Bobby Martin (keyboards, vocals)
Ed Mann (vibes, marimba, electronic percussion)
Walt Fowler (trumpet, flugel horn, synthesizer)
Bruce Fowler (trombone)
Paul Carman (alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone)
Albert Wing (tenor saxophone)
Kurt McGettrick (baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, contrabass clarinet)
Scott Thunes (electric bass, mini-moog)
Chad Wackerman (drums, electronic percussion)
[This is spoken with the style and accent of an evangelist preacher from the southern United States.]
Thank you very much, Mr. Zappa.
Ah, I'm very pleased to be here on behalf of the Administration-- the most powerful government in the world. And, uh, Mr. Fitzwater invited me to come here tonight to create some balance, because there has been some things done by Mr. Zappa that I think are unfair to our country.
I think, from the beginning, to say that this is going to be balanced, when he has this *lingerie* up here, and makin' fun of *children's toys*, as a beginning, if this is what he has in mind, I think he's wrong.
It's people like Mr. Frank Zappa that kept the Senate from being able to send arms to the democratic freedom fighters in Nicaragua! And I, for one, am headin' down there myself, as soon as I finish up here tonight.
And I want the elected official, Mr. Charlie Sanders the Democrat, to remember that "Democrat" begins with a "D", just like DEMON! And we'll remember you, friend, when it comes votin' time. And Margaret Boyd[?] and Carmen Belacord[?], despite ...[?] habit, did some help to back things up.
Friends, these forms cost money. And this money could be going towards a more powerful military; this money could be going towards driving out the illegal aliens. Instead, Mr. Zappa wants to have a bunch of young, uninformed 18 to 21-year-olds votin' here, and spendin' your money.
And I just want you to know that tonight, I *love* him anyway. Because I've got love in my heart, and I'm not afraid of the fact that he turned this into some kind of zoo up here.
Sunday--that's not fair, Mr. Zappa--Sunday night used to be a night in which Americans would get together. They'd go to their place of worship, and they would share. And I don't know why, on this night which is supposed to be Valentine's night, there aren't more people that have a heart that have a love affair with America. But instead, they're here on Sunday night, worshipping this man who's demon-possessed!
I ask you, Mr. Frank Zappa, what kind of man can name a child Moon Unit? What kind of man can name a child Weasel? What kind of man can name a child Ohman? To me, it defies the logic.
And I'm comin' here tonight because I want to share with him, just the same way we're going to give spirit power to the democratic freedom fighters down there, our brothers that wanna have the freedom to be able to have a man like Pat Robertson. To have a man like Mr. Dole. Restore, America!
And I'm gonna ask the power and the joy and the power of the living king of kings, and a lot of you here, you smut-minded, musical people say, "King of kings, that must be Elvis". No, I'm gonna ask for the power and ask for the glory. I'm gonna now, I'm gonna tell you a story. I'm gonna drive out the demons, friends. I'm gonna ask you to help this badness end. Come on Frank, let's have a story. Come on now share the glory. Do you feel the power? Come on, put out the negativity...
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He was an illustrator - he did the cartoons for the Real FZ Book.