"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.
All I know is what I see, and what I take inside my head,
I live no one's life, and no one lives through me.
And I won't hide behind a friend, so what you see is what you get,
I wear my skin inside out, but that's me.
I have this ability to read you like a book,
See through you, and see things for what they are,
And I scratch myself like everybody else, when no one is around,
Only human I believe there is a God...
(Chorus)
And I look out to all the faces, and for every 1 there's 2 of me,
Their eyes are like a mirror of me,
And I got inside your head for a brief little moment,
And you saw through my eyes and shared my views,
I read you like a book.
Two things I will not let anybody say to me,
I'm not stupid, and I'm not white trash,
And I've been called a honkey to my face,
Well, if I am I'm proud,
'Cuz I don't have a problem with your skin
(Chorus)
Maybe, but the second, greatest feeling on the Earth,
Is when I stand up on this stage,
And all my thoughts are channeled, through this microphone,
For once my voice is heard and,
You listen...
I read like a book,
Yeah I read you like a book...
I live no one's life, and no one lives through me.
And I won't hide behind a friend, so what you see is what you get,
I wear my skin inside out, but that's me.
I have this ability to read you like a book,
See through you, and see things for what they are,
And I scratch myself like everybody else, when no one is around,
Only human I believe there is a God...
(Chorus)
And I look out to all the faces, and for every 1 there's 2 of me,
Their eyes are like a mirror of me,
And I got inside your head for a brief little moment,
And you saw through my eyes and shared my views,
I read you like a book.
Two things I will not let anybody say to me,
I'm not stupid, and I'm not white trash,
And I've been called a honkey to my face,
Well, if I am I'm proud,
'Cuz I don't have a problem with your skin
(Chorus)
Maybe, but the second, greatest feeling on the Earth,
Is when I stand up on this stage,
And all my thoughts are channeled, through this microphone,
For once my voice is heard and,
You listen...
I read like a book,
Yeah I read you like a book...
Lyrics submitted by soulfire
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Fast Car
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
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ruckus is seriously a kick ass local band. seattle seriously has some of the best local music. every time i hear ruckus i just feel so good! they are awesome live too.