"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.
Need I say I love you?
Need I say I care?
Need I say that emotion's
Something we don't share?
I don't want to be sitting here
Trying to deceive you
'Cause you know I know baby
That I don't wanna go
We cannot live together
We cannot live apart
That's the situation
I've known it from the start
Every time that I look at you
Well, I can see the future
'Cause you know I know baby
That I don't wanna go
Just throwing it all away
Throwing it all away
Is there nothing that I can say
To make you change your mind
I watch the world go round and round
And see mine turning upside down
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Throw it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Now who will light up the darkness?
And who will hold your hand?
Who will find you the answers
When you don't understand?
Why should I have to be the one
Who has to convince you?
'Cause you know I know baby
That I don't wanna go
Someday you'll be sorry
Someday when you're free
Memories will remind you
That our love was meant to be
But late at night, when you call my name
The only sound you'll hear
Is the sound of your voice calling
Calling after me
Just throwing it all away
Throwing it all away
And there's nothing that I can say-ay-ay
Ah, ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
We're throwing it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Yes, we're throwing it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Yes, we're throwing it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Need I say I care?
Need I say that emotion's
Something we don't share?
I don't want to be sitting here
Trying to deceive you
'Cause you know I know baby
That I don't wanna go
We cannot live together
We cannot live apart
That's the situation
I've known it from the start
Every time that I look at you
Well, I can see the future
'Cause you know I know baby
That I don't wanna go
Just throwing it all away
Throwing it all away
Is there nothing that I can say
To make you change your mind
I watch the world go round and round
And see mine turning upside down
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Throw it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Now who will light up the darkness?
And who will hold your hand?
Who will find you the answers
When you don't understand?
Why should I have to be the one
Who has to convince you?
'Cause you know I know baby
That I don't wanna go
Someday you'll be sorry
Someday when you're free
Memories will remind you
That our love was meant to be
But late at night, when you call my name
The only sound you'll hear
Is the sound of your voice calling
Calling after me
Just throwing it all away
Throwing it all away
And there's nothing that I can say-ay-ay
Ah, ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
We're throwing it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Yes, we're throwing it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Yes, we're throwing it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Throwing It All Away Lyrics as written by Phil Collins Michael Rutherford
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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This song really hit home for me. My wife left me, and it broke my heart. I heard this song, and it felt like I was going to lose it. Even though I'm remarried, it still brings back the loss I felt.