"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.
This empty chest.
This hollow throbbing.
This empty shell. Will help you sleep.
And your name will come in time.
For now take a number.
This is a surrender skin
This is hanging on
Sing the high notes, touch his hand.
This is giving up
Faces on! Faces on!
We are pretty when we are faking.
I am such a liar when I smile.
Son comes home to take solace in his mirror
(the stains of God's loving embrace still ripe around his throat)
Only to find he is no longer human
Father don't you cut the rope I want to die here
Open eyes, dimmer, a chandelier
This empty chest.
This hollow throbbing.
This empty shell. Will help you sleep.
And your name will come in time.
For now take a number.
A chandelier.
Not another breather.
The sirens must flock to a new destination.
This hollow throbbing.
This empty shell. Will help you sleep.
And your name will come in time.
For now take a number.
This is a surrender skin
This is hanging on
Sing the high notes, touch his hand.
This is giving up
Faces on! Faces on!
We are pretty when we are faking.
I am such a liar when I smile.
Son comes home to take solace in his mirror
(the stains of God's loving embrace still ripe around his throat)
Only to find he is no longer human
Father don't you cut the rope I want to die here
Open eyes, dimmer, a chandelier
This empty chest.
This hollow throbbing.
This empty shell. Will help you sleep.
And your name will come in time.
For now take a number.
A chandelier.
Not another breather.
The sirens must flock to a new destination.
Lyrics submitted by H2OGOPunx
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SHE hung HERSELF from the chandelier. This song is about The Virgin Suicides. Both that movie/book and this song are great.