"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.
You were the last one to be saved.
So, don't be the last one to the parlor that Sunday.
'Cause now I, I like to think you are ashamed.
But I like to think.
And you thought when we think and we get away.
But as for you:
As for you,
you got lucky.
You got lucky once,
but that won't happen again.
But as for you,
you got lucky.
You got lucky once,
but that won't happen again.
And oh, those dirty hands,
come wash away my stink.
Come thank me for the offer.
You owe that much at least.
And oh, those filthy thoughts
that rattle in my brain.
The sticky on the sheets
is now this ugly on your face,
and there is no escape.
Don't you wish you had some more?
We hit the lights and hit the floor.
My bright, peculiar smile,
I want to see your hair
hanging from the trees.
Well, don't you wish you had some more?
'Cause it's just a matter of time before
the wicked cancer, I'm gonna get ya.
'Cause as for you,
you got lucky.
You got lucky once,
but that won't happen again.
But as for you,
you got lucky.
You got lucky once,
but that won't happen again.
And oh, those dirty hands,
come wash away my stink.
Come thank me for the offer.
You owe that much at least.
And oh, those filthy thoughts
that rattle in my brain.
The sticky on the sheets
is now this ugly on your face,
Oh, there is no escape,
those eyes that follow me.
So, tell me where you were last night,
sweetheart, don't lie to me.
And there is no cadence
from what i could release;
this nest of vipers on your face,
so now it's on your knees.
So, now it's on your knees.
There is no escape.
So, don't be the last one to the parlor that Sunday.
'Cause now I, I like to think you are ashamed.
But I like to think.
And you thought when we think and we get away.
But as for you:
As for you,
you got lucky.
You got lucky once,
but that won't happen again.
But as for you,
you got lucky.
You got lucky once,
but that won't happen again.
And oh, those dirty hands,
come wash away my stink.
Come thank me for the offer.
You owe that much at least.
And oh, those filthy thoughts
that rattle in my brain.
The sticky on the sheets
is now this ugly on your face,
and there is no escape.
Don't you wish you had some more?
We hit the lights and hit the floor.
My bright, peculiar smile,
I want to see your hair
hanging from the trees.
Well, don't you wish you had some more?
'Cause it's just a matter of time before
the wicked cancer, I'm gonna get ya.
'Cause as for you,
you got lucky.
You got lucky once,
but that won't happen again.
But as for you,
you got lucky.
You got lucky once,
but that won't happen again.
And oh, those dirty hands,
come wash away my stink.
Come thank me for the offer.
You owe that much at least.
And oh, those filthy thoughts
that rattle in my brain.
The sticky on the sheets
is now this ugly on your face,
Oh, there is no escape,
those eyes that follow me.
So, tell me where you were last night,
sweetheart, don't lie to me.
And there is no cadence
from what i could release;
this nest of vipers on your face,
so now it's on your knees.
So, now it's on your knees.
There is no escape.
Lyrics submitted by a scar in the sky
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