"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.
Get your party gown
Get your pigtail down
Get your heart beatin' baby
Got my timin' right
Got my act all tight
It's gotta be tonight my little
Schoolbabe
Your mamma says you don't
And your daddy says you won't
And I'm boilin' up inside
Ain't no way I'm gonna lose out this time
Tie your mother down
Tie your mother down
Lock your daddy out of doors
I don't need him nosin' around
Tie your mother down
Tie your mother down
Give me all your love tonight
You're such a dirty louse
Go get outta my house
That's all I ever got from your
Family ties, in fact I don't think I ever heard
A single little civil word from those guys
But you know I don't give a light
I'm gonna make out all right
I've got a sweet heart band
To put a stop to all that
Grousin' an' shipin'
Tie your mother down -
Tie your mother down -
Take your little brother swimmin'
Tie your mother down,
Tie your mother down
Or you ain't no friend of mine
Your mamma and your Daddy gonna
Plague me till I die
Why can't the understand I'm just a
Peace lovin' guy
Tie your mother down
Tie your mother down...
Get your pigtail down
Get your heart beatin' baby
Got my timin' right
Got my act all tight
It's gotta be tonight my little
Schoolbabe
Your mamma says you don't
And your daddy says you won't
And I'm boilin' up inside
Ain't no way I'm gonna lose out this time
Tie your mother down
Tie your mother down
Lock your daddy out of doors
I don't need him nosin' around
Tie your mother down
Tie your mother down
Give me all your love tonight
You're such a dirty louse
Go get outta my house
That's all I ever got from your
Family ties, in fact I don't think I ever heard
A single little civil word from those guys
But you know I don't give a light
I'm gonna make out all right
I've got a sweet heart band
To put a stop to all that
Grousin' an' shipin'
Tie your mother down -
Tie your mother down -
Take your little brother swimmin'
Tie your mother down,
Tie your mother down
Or you ain't no friend of mine
Your mamma and your Daddy gonna
Plague me till I die
Why can't the understand I'm just a
Peace lovin' guy
Tie your mother down
Tie your mother down...
Lyrics submitted by ruben
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