"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 took this job cuz it was my dream
and I work hard for it
You congratulated me for not settling for a lesser life
And you followed dreams of your own and I love you
for it
But now success is bittersweet, it swept you up, and
took you far away
Now we simply take it day by day
But days without you go slow
And someday in a week or nine
Our paths will cross and for a time
You'll hold me like you'll never let me go
By day it's clear my mission's here
Three thousand miles feels like a few
At night alone I hold the phone
I'd toss it all to be with you
My friends laugh when we're out sometimes
A girl gets aggressive
She'll rub my leg I'll hit the street
She can't compete cuz no one can touch you
Now I'm spoiled by all the things you do
I'm ruined and it shows
And someday...
In my mind, there will be a time when we can stay
together like I know we're meant to
It's all right
I keep telling myself if I wait then someday we'll be
close if I hold on
The thought of us together makes me strong
I'm stronger than you know
and I work hard for it
You congratulated me for not settling for a lesser life
And you followed dreams of your own and I love you
for it
But now success is bittersweet, it swept you up, and
took you far away
Now we simply take it day by day
But days without you go slow
And someday in a week or nine
Our paths will cross and for a time
You'll hold me like you'll never let me go
By day it's clear my mission's here
Three thousand miles feels like a few
At night alone I hold the phone
I'd toss it all to be with you
My friends laugh when we're out sometimes
A girl gets aggressive
She'll rub my leg I'll hit the street
She can't compete cuz no one can touch you
Now I'm spoiled by all the things you do
I'm ruined and it shows
And someday...
In my mind, there will be a time when we can stay
together like I know we're meant to
It's all right
I keep telling myself if I wait then someday we'll be
close if I hold on
The thought of us together makes me strong
I'm stronger than you know
Lyrics submitted by Alucard
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