"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 believe
After all this time
I'm in love with a man
Who could never be mine
And just to think
I'd believe one day you'd really leave
Like you said you would
Cause you don't love her
But your little girl really needs you, oh
Christmas you weren't with me
New Year's Eve you were not around
Valentine's came and went
Makes me wonder where your time was spent
Fireworks on the Fourth of July
Thanksgiving was another lie
Your family has never met me
And you've never met mine, no happy holiday
No happy holiday
I got to let go of this feeling
Being with you deprives me of true love, true love
I can't fathom living this life
Without being number one
This is finally goodbye
I pray to God you live a happy life
Cause loving you just ain't right
Make her your wife
Christmas you weren't with me
New Year's Eve you were not around
Valentine's came and went
Makes me wonder where your time was spent
Fireworks on the Fourth of July
Thanksgiving was another lie
Your family has never met me
And you've never met mine, no happy holiday
I wish I had known
The situation from the start
Now it's complicated
Because I gave you my heart
Honestly I held on for dear life
For my ego, my pride
But what goes around, comes around
But maybe next time I'll be on the other side
Hmm, oh, yeah, oh
Last time dittle didi, di
You don't do, do, do, dum
Do do, do, do, do ooh, hey oh
Christmas you weren't with me
New Year's Eve you were not around
Valentine's came and went
Makes me wonder where your time was spent
Fireworks on the Fourth of July
Thanksgiving was another lie
Your family has never met me
And you've never met mine, no happy holiday
Christmas you weren't with me
New Year's Eve you were not around
Valentine's came and went
Makes me wonder where your time was spent
Fireworks on the Fourth of July
Thanksgiving was another lie
Your family has never met me
And you've never met mine, no happy holiday
After all this time
I'm in love with a man
Who could never be mine
And just to think
I'd believe one day you'd really leave
Like you said you would
Cause you don't love her
But your little girl really needs you, oh
Christmas you weren't with me
New Year's Eve you were not around
Valentine's came and went
Makes me wonder where your time was spent
Fireworks on the Fourth of July
Thanksgiving was another lie
Your family has never met me
And you've never met mine, no happy holiday
No happy holiday
I got to let go of this feeling
Being with you deprives me of true love, true love
I can't fathom living this life
Without being number one
This is finally goodbye
I pray to God you live a happy life
Cause loving you just ain't right
Make her your wife
Christmas you weren't with me
New Year's Eve you were not around
Valentine's came and went
Makes me wonder where your time was spent
Fireworks on the Fourth of July
Thanksgiving was another lie
Your family has never met me
And you've never met mine, no happy holiday
I wish I had known
The situation from the start
Now it's complicated
Because I gave you my heart
Honestly I held on for dear life
For my ego, my pride
But what goes around, comes around
But maybe next time I'll be on the other side
Hmm, oh, yeah, oh
Last time dittle didi, di
You don't do, do, do, dum
Do do, do, do, do ooh, hey oh
Christmas you weren't with me
New Year's Eve you were not around
Valentine's came and went
Makes me wonder where your time was spent
Fireworks on the Fourth of July
Thanksgiving was another lie
Your family has never met me
And you've never met mine, no happy holiday
Christmas you weren't with me
New Year's Eve you were not around
Valentine's came and went
Makes me wonder where your time was spent
Fireworks on the Fourth of July
Thanksgiving was another lie
Your family has never met me
And you've never met mine, no happy holiday
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