"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.
The drama, detention, suspension of disbelief
The constant attention offers you no relief
Your pain is not special, sentence is soaked in deceit
It's inconsequential and you sing so sweetly
We all hurt the same
Convince them completely
The fires you light rise straight to the heavens
She said to me
Darling well please don't be so naive
You could burn like a constellation
But don't go before I leave
You're poised and you're perfect, face of the fallen destroyed
Call out and curse it and everything else you avoid
Your comets burn brighter but you still feel the sting
They lift up their lighters and sing so sweetly
We all hurt the same
Can never defeat me
The words you sing rain down like the heavens
She said to me
Darling well please don't be so naive
You could burn like a constellation
But don't go before I leave
You can fool yourself
And maybe someone else like me
And if you're anyone's salvation
Then there's nothing left for me
She said to me
Darling well please don't be so naive
You could burn like a constellation
But don't go before I leave
You can fool yourself
And maybe someone else like me
And if you're anyone's salvation
Then there's nothing left for me
The fires you light rise straight to the heavens
The constant attention offers you no relief
Your pain is not special, sentence is soaked in deceit
It's inconsequential and you sing so sweetly
We all hurt the same
Convince them completely
The fires you light rise straight to the heavens
She said to me
Darling well please don't be so naive
You could burn like a constellation
But don't go before I leave
You're poised and you're perfect, face of the fallen destroyed
Call out and curse it and everything else you avoid
Your comets burn brighter but you still feel the sting
They lift up their lighters and sing so sweetly
We all hurt the same
Can never defeat me
The words you sing rain down like the heavens
She said to me
Darling well please don't be so naive
You could burn like a constellation
But don't go before I leave
You can fool yourself
And maybe someone else like me
And if you're anyone's salvation
Then there's nothing left for me
She said to me
Darling well please don't be so naive
You could burn like a constellation
But don't go before I leave
You can fool yourself
And maybe someone else like me
And if you're anyone's salvation
Then there's nothing left for me
The fires you light rise straight to the heavens
Lyrics submitted by mulmo
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Fast Car
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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this is a great song. by far one of JS best songs. i give it two thumbs up. and i give two thumbs up people's asses if they dont like this song.