"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.
hey whatcha doin?
with that gun in your hand?
now who ya skrewin?
gonna kill your old man.
who gave you the right to play god here?
shootin missles at the countries of the people that did no wrong.
there's a little mama san with her baby in her cradle cryin'
singin why the fuck can't we just get along?
hey whatcha thinkin?
holding money behind your back.
you, you must be drinking.
gonna give yourself a heart-attack
we can't fight all night!
well you won't see me on that fucking front line
i ain't gonna kill no stranger and i ain't gonna do time
because its 1,2,3 that's an innocent life
oh and little sister, sister where's your brother today?
i wish that i could tell you that he's gonna be ok
but i can't and i won't tonight.
i can see a soldier marching off to war.
does he know what he is fighting for?
another soldier gone off to attack
but will he come back?
with that gun in your hand?
now who ya skrewin?
gonna kill your old man.
who gave you the right to play god here?
shootin missles at the countries of the people that did no wrong.
there's a little mama san with her baby in her cradle cryin'
singin why the fuck can't we just get along?
hey whatcha thinkin?
holding money behind your back.
you, you must be drinking.
gonna give yourself a heart-attack
we can't fight all night!
well you won't see me on that fucking front line
i ain't gonna kill no stranger and i ain't gonna do time
because its 1,2,3 that's an innocent life
oh and little sister, sister where's your brother today?
i wish that i could tell you that he's gonna be ok
but i can't and i won't tonight.
i can see a soldier marching off to war.
does he know what he is fighting for?
another soldier gone off to attack
but will he come back?
Lyrics submitted by oofus
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Fast Car
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Great version of a great song,
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I don't think that is what he is saying at all... Its the opposite of the us against them mentality, and no you dont have to get them before they get us... War also does not solve problems... If it did there would be no more war because all the problems would be solved... But they arent.. Im not saying we have to abstain from all war... If I lived in poverty in a country where I die at any time I think I would wan someone to come help me... But the more violence, the more blood will be shed... Thats my rant. No offense to anyone... We all have the right to our opinion