"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.
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks and gets mean
He's gonna start a war
He hops in his pickup puts the pedal to the floor
And says "I got mine but I want more"
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks and gets mean
He drove the desert, fired his rifle in the sky
And says, "God if I have to die you will have to die"
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes the the reservation drinks and gets mean
I didn't move to the city, the city moved to me
And I want out desperately
Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
Standing in the tall grass
Thinking nothing
You know we need oxygen to breath
Whenever you are walking you're just moving the ground
Whenever you are talking you're just moving your mouth
Where ever you look you're just looking down
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks and gets mean
He's gonna start a war
He hops in his pickup puts the pedal to the floor
And says "I got mine but I want more"
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks and gets mean
He drove the desert, fired his rifle in the sky
And says, "God if I have to die you will have to die"
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes the the reservation drinks and gets mean
I didn't move to the city, the city moved to me
And I want out desperately
Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
He goes to the reservation drinks and gets mean
He's gonna start a war
He hops in his pickup puts the pedal to the floor
And says "I got mine but I want more"
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks and gets mean
He drove the desert, fired his rifle in the sky
And says, "God if I have to die you will have to die"
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes the the reservation drinks and gets mean
I didn't move to the city, the city moved to me
And I want out desperately
Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
Standing in the tall grass
Thinking nothing
You know we need oxygen to breath
Whenever you are walking you're just moving the ground
Whenever you are talking you're just moving your mouth
Where ever you look you're just looking down
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks and gets mean
He's gonna start a war
He hops in his pickup puts the pedal to the floor
And says "I got mine but I want more"
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes to the reservation drinks and gets mean
He drove the desert, fired his rifle in the sky
And says, "God if I have to die you will have to die"
Well, Cowboy Dan's a major player in the cowboy scene
He goes the the reservation drinks and gets mean
I didn't move to the city, the city moved to me
And I want out desperately
Can't do it, not even if sober
Can't get that engine turned over
Lyrics submitted by PLANES, edited by shaungrady, Ryuhza, PouletSansNom, george1165, Beerisdeliciou
Cowboy Dan Lyrics as written by Isaac Brock Eric Judy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is an insult.....no one has posted on this song?
Cowboy Dan is the BEST song by Modest Mouse.
It's a song entirely about freedom, and not feeling inhibited by the rules of society.
Cowboy Dan represents the West.....he is "drinks and gets mean/gonna start a war" shows that he has a beef with the rules of:
1.) The limitation that city life imposes (I want more!)
2.) God (If I've got to die, you've got to die)
"I didn't move to the city/the city moved to me." is a really powerful statement.....saying basically that many westerners were happy with ranch life until industrialization.
He drinks, speeds, firs his weapon, drives drunk, and rebels against God.....all showing his drive fore independence.
"You know we need oxygen to breathe" and the following verses show that country people are able to breathe fresh air....move freely, talk slowly and clearly, and look at the entire landscape.
It's an very very good song....listen to it sometime!
damn good analyzation!
Its got a good message for sure, but really no beat. Why i say its 2nd, right after float on
saying this song is second after float on is ridiculous. i wouldnt say either are top 2 but definitely not float on.
I like your analyzation, but I think the whole "we need oxygen to breathe" says something about not needing all the things that people in the city think they need, you only need the basics to survive and people don't tend to realize that nowadays.