"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.
Jim woke up on a wintry day
A beautiful red head stole his heart away
Forever never would his life be the same again
She had a heavenly heart a spiritual mind
Walking with Jesus all the time (all the time)
'I don't see a need to change,' he said 'I like the way I am'
She looked into his big blue eyes
And this is what she said to Jim
It's on you until you give god a try
It's on you don't let this world pass you by
Cause it's on you until you give God a try
It's on you well it's on you it's on
Ya can never ever ever ever do it on your own
When you do it all alone you will never make it home
Ya can never ever ever ever do it on your own
When you do it all alone you will never make it home
Ya can never ever ever ever do it on your own
When you do it all alone you will never make it home
Ya can never ever ever ever do it on your
Your life after you die
Life after death
What's gonna happen when you die'
Is there anything else'
Fast forward sixty years (sixty years)
Jim's time is drawing near
But he's not afraid to die (I'm not afraid to die)
He has a heavenly heart a spiritual mind
Talks with Jesus (talks with Jesus) all the time (all the time)
And he says, (listen to what he said)
'Oh heavenly father look at my daughter
And my son they gotta know the way
Dear god I pray and to them I say'
Never gonna die never gonna die never gonna die gonna live forever
Never gonna die never gonna die god gave us life gonna live forever
Never gonna die never gonna die never gonna die never gonna die die
Never gonna die never gonna die god gave us life gonna live forever
He's watching you/ life after death
He loves you/ what's gonna happen when you
He's watching you/ is there anything else
He loves you/ and he died
'Eyes closed I know you know I want'
For you
'Eyes closed last breath is there anything else?'
And he died
'Eyes closed I know I want so much more'
For you
'Eyes closed eyes closed last breath is there'
Life after death
It's all been done for god so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son that whoever believes in his name shall never die but have eternal life
A beautiful red head stole his heart away
Forever never would his life be the same again
She had a heavenly heart a spiritual mind
Walking with Jesus all the time (all the time)
'I don't see a need to change,' he said 'I like the way I am'
She looked into his big blue eyes
And this is what she said to Jim
It's on you until you give god a try
It's on you don't let this world pass you by
Cause it's on you until you give God a try
It's on you well it's on you it's on
Ya can never ever ever ever do it on your own
When you do it all alone you will never make it home
Ya can never ever ever ever do it on your own
When you do it all alone you will never make it home
Ya can never ever ever ever do it on your own
When you do it all alone you will never make it home
Ya can never ever ever ever do it on your
Your life after you die
Life after death
What's gonna happen when you die'
Is there anything else'
Fast forward sixty years (sixty years)
Jim's time is drawing near
But he's not afraid to die (I'm not afraid to die)
He has a heavenly heart a spiritual mind
Talks with Jesus (talks with Jesus) all the time (all the time)
And he says, (listen to what he said)
'Oh heavenly father look at my daughter
And my son they gotta know the way
Dear god I pray and to them I say'
Never gonna die never gonna die never gonna die gonna live forever
Never gonna die never gonna die god gave us life gonna live forever
Never gonna die never gonna die never gonna die never gonna die die
Never gonna die never gonna die god gave us life gonna live forever
He's watching you/ life after death
He loves you/ what's gonna happen when you
He's watching you/ is there anything else
He loves you/ and he died
'Eyes closed I know you know I want'
For you
'Eyes closed last breath is there anything else?'
And he died
'Eyes closed I know I want so much more'
For you
'Eyes closed eyes closed last breath is there'
Life after death
It's all been done for god so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son that whoever believes in his name shall never die but have eternal life
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