"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.
Be still and know your sign.
The Beast will arrive in time.
We stayed a long, long time.
We stayed a long, long time.
To see you, to beat you,
To see you at last.
I saw the dragons drying.
I saw the witches whine.
We stayed a long, long time.
But I'm not afraid to die.
To see you, to meet you,
To see you last.
I stole my father's shoes.
I pulled His pockets too.
We stayed a long, long time.
We stayed a long, long time.
To see you, to beat you,
To see you, to meet you.
To see you at last.
The Beast will arrive in time.
We stayed a long, long time.
We stayed a long, long time.
To see you, to beat you,
To see you at last.
I saw the dragons drying.
I saw the witches whine.
We stayed a long, long time.
But I'm not afraid to die.
To see you, to meet you,
To see you last.
I stole my father's shoes.
I pulled His pockets too.
We stayed a long, long time.
We stayed a long, long time.
To see you, to beat you,
To see you, to meet you.
To see you at last.
Lyrics submitted by EvilPopkin
In the Devil's Territory Lyrics as written by Sufjan Stevens
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think the first stanza is addressed to the devil. He's saying that he's waiting a long time to see Satan defeated. The second stanza is addressed to Jesus. He's saying that he's not afraid to die since when he dies he will be with his Lord. The final stanza is addressed to Satan again. I'm only guessing.