"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.
Looking through some photographs
I found inside a drawer
I was taken by a photograph of you
There were one or two I know that
You would have liked a little more
But they didn't show your spirit quite as true
You were turning 'round to see who was behind you
And I took your childish laughter by surprise
And at the moment that my camera happened to find you
There was just a trace of sorrow in your eyes
Now the things that I remember
Seem so distant and so small
Though it hasn't really been that long a time
What I was seeing wasn't what was happening at all
Although for a while, our path did seem to climb
When you see through love's illusions,
There lies the danger
And your perfect lover just looks like a perfect fool
So you go running off in search of a perfect stranger
While the loneliness seems to spring from your life
Like a fountain from a pool
Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light
You've known that hollow sound
Of your own steps in flight
You've had to hide sometimes
But now you're all right
And it's good to see your smiling face tonight
Now for you and me it may not be
That hard to reach our dreams
But that magic feeling never seems to last
And while the future's there for anyone to change
Still you know it seems
It would be easier sometimes to change the past
I'm just one or two years
And a couple of changes behind you
In my lessons at love's pain and heartache school
Where if you feel too free
And you need something to remind you
There's this loneliness springing up from your life
Like a fountain from a pool
Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light
You've known that hollow sound
Of your own steps in flight
You've had to hide sometimes
But now you're all right
And it's good to see your smiling face tonight
Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light
You've known that hollow sound
Of your own steps in flight
You've had to struggle, you've had to fight
To keep understanding and compassion in sight
You could be laughing at me, you've got the right
But you go on smiling so clear and so bright
I found inside a drawer
I was taken by a photograph of you
There were one or two I know that
You would have liked a little more
But they didn't show your spirit quite as true
You were turning 'round to see who was behind you
And I took your childish laughter by surprise
And at the moment that my camera happened to find you
There was just a trace of sorrow in your eyes
Now the things that I remember
Seem so distant and so small
Though it hasn't really been that long a time
What I was seeing wasn't what was happening at all
Although for a while, our path did seem to climb
When you see through love's illusions,
There lies the danger
And your perfect lover just looks like a perfect fool
So you go running off in search of a perfect stranger
While the loneliness seems to spring from your life
Like a fountain from a pool
Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light
You've known that hollow sound
Of your own steps in flight
You've had to hide sometimes
But now you're all right
And it's good to see your smiling face tonight
Now for you and me it may not be
That hard to reach our dreams
But that magic feeling never seems to last
And while the future's there for anyone to change
Still you know it seems
It would be easier sometimes to change the past
I'm just one or two years
And a couple of changes behind you
In my lessons at love's pain and heartache school
Where if you feel too free
And you need something to remind you
There's this loneliness springing up from your life
Like a fountain from a pool
Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light
You've known that hollow sound
Of your own steps in flight
You've had to hide sometimes
But now you're all right
And it's good to see your smiling face tonight
Fountain of sorrow, fountain of light
You've known that hollow sound
Of your own steps in flight
You've had to struggle, you've had to fight
To keep understanding and compassion in sight
You could be laughing at me, you've got the right
But you go on smiling so clear and so bright
Lyrics submitted by Irishred516, edited by 3d1mandakng
Fountain of Sorrow Lyrics as written by Jackson Browne
Lyrics © Jackson Browne/Swallow Turn Music/Night Kitchen Music/Open Window Music
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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Plastic Bag
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this is one of jackson browne's best songs. it seems so melancholy and reflective until the end, which is much more uplifting. and the man's voice is gorgeous.
@uncgurl -- Are you kidding? The ending is the most heartbreaking part of it.