"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.
Take me out
Drag my face across pavement
And make it look wrinkled and old
Cause that's how I feel today
Spent out like change
You toss out at toll booths
It adds up when you drive a lot
And you hate to use it
But it sends you on your way
That's the point
I went on
Without you
Thought I would fall
And no one would catch me
Lose all I had going for me
But I was wrong
When you let someone control your life
They're the only person
Who makes it seem right
It's hard to change
The funny thing is
I'll end up in the same place
Yeah, history repeats itself
And it's sad but at least
This time I'll know
That every broken heart's
Not the end of the world
Even though it is hard to believe
I'll cry and I'll go on
That's the point
I can go on
Without you
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I love this song! It's one of my faves by them. I love when it stops completely then starts up again!