"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.
I can't remember the time when it changed
But it's changed, and I've got to face it
I can't stand for the truth from down on my knees
I'm trying to decide if I'm better off
With or without you
I guess I don't have to worry
You made up my mind. Yea!
Now every time an hour goes by
I'm sixty minutes older and your still far, far away
I can't stop worrying about time
But I know it won't stop for me anyway
But it's so hard to keep up hope
Dangling here at the end of my rope
Feeling hurt. Feeling scared. So afraid
Of going nowhere
Why me? Won't somebody help me?
What must I do? What must I say?
Won't sombody help me... help me
Like a wheel I spin and you roll away
I tried to run away. I tried to get away
You could not follow
It was the same old song add another refrain
It's like the world's coming down on you
You don't seem to have a friend in the whole world
Just look over your shoulder brothers and sisters
When you need a hand to hold
Help me! Won't somebody help me!
You know I'll always help you
We've got to learn to give, share, and love
We've got to get it together
But it's changed, and I've got to face it
I can't stand for the truth from down on my knees
I'm trying to decide if I'm better off
With or without you
I guess I don't have to worry
You made up my mind. Yea!
Now every time an hour goes by
I'm sixty minutes older and your still far, far away
I can't stop worrying about time
But I know it won't stop for me anyway
But it's so hard to keep up hope
Dangling here at the end of my rope
Feeling hurt. Feeling scared. So afraid
Of going nowhere
Why me? Won't somebody help me?
What must I do? What must I say?
Won't sombody help me... help me
Like a wheel I spin and you roll away
I tried to run away. I tried to get away
You could not follow
It was the same old song add another refrain
It's like the world's coming down on you
You don't seem to have a friend in the whole world
Just look over your shoulder brothers and sisters
When you need a hand to hold
Help me! Won't somebody help me!
You know I'll always help you
We've got to learn to give, share, and love
We've got to get it together
Lyrics submitted by MooWasHere
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