"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.
January, 1979 saw a terrible crash and it couldn't help but laugh.
My ear pressed against the pass like a glass on a wall of a hospital photograph.
My forehead no longer sweet with holy kisses worthy of your fiery lips.
I was floating in a peaceful sea rescued by a sinking ship.
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall. (I could be your servant)
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall. (If I could be your servant)
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall. (I could be your servant)
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall. (If I could be your servant)
You watch me like a ten car highway wreck with a tact, bold or curiosity?
Us looking down on the tops of the hats of us passersby from your seventh floor balcony and grew such a height we missed creatures too small for sight.
Carry on over conversation as the misguided insects crown me their grasshopper king with a dance of celebration.
After years with their crown on my head, I'm rolling over in bed unconcerned and comfortably numb kept busy indulging in the pleasures of the wealthy.
Oh, someone make me afraid of what I've become.
At the first sign of possible sorrow I'll turn my heel and run.
Oh, I'll never learn.
My life's become the sugar I've borrowed before, time and again and forgot to return.
It was a matter of time, I always said I could see but now I'm going blind. (I could be your servant)
It was a matter of time, I always said I could see but now I'm going blind. (If I could be your servant)
It was a matter of time, I always said I could see but now I'm going blind. (I could be your servant)
It was a matter of miserable time but I heard somewhere, there was a cure for useless eyes. (If I could be your servant)
My ear pressed against the pass like a glass on a wall of a hospital photograph.
My forehead no longer sweet with holy kisses worthy of your fiery lips.
I was floating in a peaceful sea rescued by a sinking ship.
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall. (I could be your servant)
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall. (If I could be your servant)
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall. (I could be your servant)
If I could become the servant of all, no lower place to fall. (If I could be your servant)
You watch me like a ten car highway wreck with a tact, bold or curiosity?
Us looking down on the tops of the hats of us passersby from your seventh floor balcony and grew such a height we missed creatures too small for sight.
Carry on over conversation as the misguided insects crown me their grasshopper king with a dance of celebration.
After years with their crown on my head, I'm rolling over in bed unconcerned and comfortably numb kept busy indulging in the pleasures of the wealthy.
Oh, someone make me afraid of what I've become.
At the first sign of possible sorrow I'll turn my heel and run.
Oh, I'll never learn.
My life's become the sugar I've borrowed before, time and again and forgot to return.
It was a matter of time, I always said I could see but now I'm going blind. (I could be your servant)
It was a matter of time, I always said I could see but now I'm going blind. (If I could be your servant)
It was a matter of time, I always said I could see but now I'm going blind. (I could be your servant)
It was a matter of miserable time but I heard somewhere, there was a cure for useless eyes. (If I could be your servant)
Lyrics submitted by DarkerShadeofWinter, edited by MusicSoul0889
January 1979 Lyrics as written by Andrew Schwab Alexander Albert
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Capitol CMG Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"January 1979" is a song themed around Aaron Weiss's failure as a human in life. He and former bassist, Daniel Pishock, were both born in January 1979. The "crash" Aaron explains refers to his birth. Aaron wrote this song discussing his frustration surrounding his "overfed, unconcerned, and comfortably numb" existence. Realizing his failure, he sings of becoming a servant of all, a reference to Matthew 23:11. Becoming the lowest would imply that there would no longer be any possibility of failing more. While he remarks that his eyes have become useless, the song ends with hope of a cure. His concept about grasshoppers may reference to Numbers 13:33, or Isaiah 40:22.