"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.
Surprise! it's not what you thought
As it runs a dead stop light
You're the fool and we won't look back
Let's tie those ankles to the railroad
Don't stop to catch your breath
I bet your foresight never saw
This train wreck is right on time
A fucking punk rock prostitute
Pick the open vein to shreds
You should know that you're my death wish
Bible thumping steeple fuck
You are the worst of all, scum
We were young and we were god
Far away from us now
We don't want it,
What you've got
We don't want it
And you've got it
She took my hand but I never took hers
As it runs a dead stop light
You're the fool and we won't look back
Let's tie those ankles to the railroad
Don't stop to catch your breath
I bet your foresight never saw
This train wreck is right on time
A fucking punk rock prostitute
Pick the open vein to shreds
You should know that you're my death wish
Bible thumping steeple fuck
You are the worst of all, scum
We were young and we were god
Far away from us now
We don't want it,
What you've got
We don't want it
And you've got it
She took my hand but I never took hers
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Fast Car
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The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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I think It's about some punk rock or emo chick trying to be cool (as cool as such a person can be anyway) and is beign all slutty and is slitting her wrists. Thats what I get from this song anyway.
i liked this song before it was officially recorded. i heard a recording where they did this in a radio station studio once, and it was great. and then the cd comes out and i hear this song, and i'm like ".......................meh."
i don't like the new album at all.
Monticello, the recording you're thinking of is called "50V Phantom" which they played live even before Greg was in the band.
This song is amazing, especially because Pennie is drumming to do different time signatures for a little bit, freakin amazing...
i agree with i am the law, this version isn't any where near as good as the "50V phantom your band sucks" version
these lyrics aren't right. when he says "bible thumping steeple fuck you are the worst of all scum " he follows it up with "train wreck is right on time"