"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 miss you, miss you
Hello there
The angel from my nightmare
The shadow in the background of the morgue
The unsuspecting victim
Of darkness in the valley
We can live like Jack and Sally if we want
Where you can always find me
And we'll have Halloween on Christmas
And in the night we'll wish this never ends
We'll wish this never ends
I miss you, I miss you
I miss you I miss you
Where are you?
And I'm so sorry
I cannot sleep I cannot dream tonight
I need somebody and always
This sick strange darkness
Comes creeping on so haunting every time
And as I stared I counted
The webs from all the spiders
Catching things and eating their insides
Like indecision to call you
And hear your voice of treason
Will you come home and stop the pain tonight
Stop this pain tonight
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, I miss you
Hello there
The angel from my nightmare
The shadow in the background of the morgue
The unsuspecting victim
Of darkness in the valley
We can live like Jack and Sally if we want
Where you can always find me
And we'll have Halloween on Christmas
And in the night we'll wish this never ends
We'll wish this never ends
I miss you, I miss you
I miss you I miss you
Where are you?
And I'm so sorry
I cannot sleep I cannot dream tonight
I need somebody and always
This sick strange darkness
Comes creeping on so haunting every time
And as I stared I counted
The webs from all the spiders
Catching things and eating their insides
Like indecision to call you
And hear your voice of treason
Will you come home and stop the pain tonight
Stop this pain tonight
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
Don't waste your time on me
You're already the voice inside my head (I miss you, I miss you)
I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, I miss you
I miss you, I miss you
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Anyone ever think that this song is about the boyfriend dying and he is singing to his girlfriend as a ghost/spirit from beyond the grave? Seems to make sense to me in both verses. The first verse was when he first died and is saying hello to his gf, sort of introducing her. "the shadow in the background of the morgue" could refer to when she came to identify his body. "The unsuspecting victim of darkness in the valley" means that she is a victim of death. Darkness in the valley means death such as the religious reference "valley of the shadow of death". The death is him specifically dying.
Although he is dead, he is feeling optimistic that they as a couple will be ok. They could "live like Jack and Sally" (from the Nightmare before Christmas) and ..."we'll have Halloween on Christmas" could mean that they could hang out at night at the graveyard and have a good time.
The second verse is when he realizes that them together forever will never happen. As time passes, she visits his grave less and less. He's sorry that he died. He cannot sleep or dream because he is dead. He stares at the living spiders inside his coffin trapping, killing, and eating things. This reminds him further that he is dead and she is not. The "voice of treason" means that she has moved on with her life and will not be his "Sally" anymore.
After this, the chorus comes in and this means that he wants her to move on with her life and that he will never forget her.
Hi there. I just to say I really loved your comment the most because I can relate to what you were trying to say.<br /> <br /> You see, my ex-boyfriend is dying. We broke up because he didn't want me to suffer.. it was hard at times but I'm trying to be strong. Listening to this song especially the Boyce Avenue's version and reading your interpretation of the song made me Really believe that my ex would wanted me to move on. So thank you so much. :)
Really nice interpretation flagpole. I think you hit the nail on its head....Perfect!!!<br />
@flagpole_AZ I always thought the song was about the whole breakup thing. But now I read this and my mind it's blown. It's an interesting point of view.