"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.
What could this be,
too much MTV?
Chalk another fad up
for its fall into infamy.
What’s in a standard
if it changes all the time?
You’re still having trouble
in defining your own kind.
Need I remind you,
we all knew you before,
you threw the rocks at the stage
from your glass house on the floor?
Now I think you’re punk,
just because it’s in.
You found a foul mouth
and a couple safety pins.
Got a peaceful feeling,
I don’t want to fight no more.
Got a peaceful feeling,
I don’t care if we’re punk, or ska, or hardcore,
enough for you,
it’s sad but true,
you can call us names
till your face turns blue.
Our assurance comes from God,
it’s nothing new,
we’ll never care
‘cause we’re never cool enough for you.
That smug look on your face,
your nose up in the air,
your patches say you’re open-minded,
but still you couldn’t bear,
some punk thrown in with ska.
You said it wouldn’t work.
Well you can take your Vespa home
‘cause ska made you a jerk.
The purist turns a deaf ear.
He’s such an intellect,
Does he think his censorship
is gaining our respect?
The raising of a fist,
like a trigger of a gun.
Stop and see we’re all alike,
and we can dance as one.
too much MTV?
Chalk another fad up
for its fall into infamy.
What’s in a standard
if it changes all the time?
You’re still having trouble
in defining your own kind.
Need I remind you,
we all knew you before,
you threw the rocks at the stage
from your glass house on the floor?
Now I think you’re punk,
just because it’s in.
You found a foul mouth
and a couple safety pins.
Got a peaceful feeling,
I don’t want to fight no more.
Got a peaceful feeling,
I don’t care if we’re punk, or ska, or hardcore,
enough for you,
it’s sad but true,
you can call us names
till your face turns blue.
Our assurance comes from God,
it’s nothing new,
we’ll never care
‘cause we’re never cool enough for you.
That smug look on your face,
your nose up in the air,
your patches say you’re open-minded,
but still you couldn’t bear,
some punk thrown in with ska.
You said it wouldn’t work.
Well you can take your Vespa home
‘cause ska made you a jerk.
The purist turns a deaf ear.
He’s such an intellect,
Does he think his censorship
is gaining our respect?
The raising of a fist,
like a trigger of a gun.
Stop and see we’re all alike,
and we can dance as one.
Lyrics submitted by ThreeMilesDown, edited by zehnra
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This song is about how sometimes bands will change their style and the fans will all call them "sellouts" and stop being fans b/c the band decided to try a new sound. fans should realize that bands can do what they want with their sound, but still preach the same message. so "stop to see we're all alike and we can dance as one" pretty self-explanitory.
I thought this song was saying that they aren't going to change their style of music because of fads and fans who go with the lastest fads. It doesn't matter if people say they aren't cool, because they are playing for God
i agree with J35U5 ownz M3 (awesome name by the way) but we are all alike and it is an awesome song too!
Sillly kids blaiming bands for selling out and being to trendy when in reality these kids are just conforming to non-conformity
the horns on this track are sik though!