"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.
There is no guidance in your kingdom
Your wicked walk in Babylon
There is no wisdom to your freedom
The richest man in Babylon
Your beggars sleep outside your doorway
Your prophets leave to wonder on
You fall asleep at night with worry
The saddest man in Babylon
The wicked stench of exploitation
Hangs in the air and fingers on
Beneath the praise and admiration
The weakest man in Babylon
There is no hope left in your kingdom
Your servants have burned all their songs
Nobody here remembers freedom
The richest man in Babylon
Your wicked walk in Babylon
There is no wisdom to your freedom
The richest man in Babylon
Your beggars sleep outside your doorway
Your prophets leave to wonder on
You fall asleep at night with worry
The saddest man in Babylon
The wicked stench of exploitation
Hangs in the air and fingers on
Beneath the praise and admiration
The weakest man in Babylon
There is no hope left in your kingdom
Your servants have burned all their songs
Nobody here remembers freedom
The richest man in Babylon
Lyrics submitted by playgroundlove
The Richest Man in Babylon Lyrics as written by Richard Eric Hilton Norman Howell
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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a great song...
literally... it's about unfairness, explotation and social inequality in the socio-economic system our world is living in. Taking in account that the song was released pretty much close to the US invasion to Iraq (the territory where the old Babylon used to stand), it could also be seen as a direct criticism to the Bush regime.
Bah! Corrections to the lyrics... there is no such thing as quidance. Its Guidance. Hangs in the air and LINGERS on not FINGERS on. Not so obvious: you fall asleep at night with WORRIES.
Missing Lyrics:
(scat) babylon no get rich again but to end up sick again and you end up weak again babylon (scat)
babylon you run that car you better know you you better understand the rancher man you better hear what we say babylon this is your final day babylon this is your final call read the writing that's on the wall see divided we stand and together we fall you never know that you not gon' catch me in a rat pack we not gon' fall away from it jah no way
No one's commented... but this is a good song
This song is deep. But as a man that fought in Iraq, I believe that the song is more about Saddam Hussein. Baghdad is Babylon. The richest man in Babylon was Saddam Hussein before OIF. His sons would torture the innocent and helpless. No bigger celebratory fire that I seen in my life until the day of their dead. The masses were in pain and divided (Sunnies, Shiashs, and Kurds dislike each other due to the infused rivalries and preferencial treatment of Sunnies). Anybody with brains left (hence the prophets left to wonder on). President Bush (the Rancher Man) warned Saddam Hussein (Richest Man in Babylon) many of times to give in before he saw his final day. Well, when that day came, Saddam Hussein was the saddest man of Babylon when American Troops found in a hole. Keep in mind that song are prophetic as well, so even it if was written before the war kicked off, it is my opinion that a good song or epic can transcend time.
@alejandrod Completely wrong, I don't think you know what Babylon really means. Its the fake world placed in front of us when we are born. The one that pushes us to work hard, work for a corporation and enslave and bomb others around the world. We are Babylon, slaves to Babylon and you are its armed mercenary. Wake up.