"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.
Walking down Main Street
Getting to know the concrete
Looking for a purpose
From a neon sign
I would meet you anywhere
The western sun meets the air
We'll hit the road
Never looking behind
Can you deny
There's nothing greater
Nothing more
Than the traveling hands of time?
St. Genevieve can hold back the water
Saints don't bother
With the tear-stained eye
Seeing traces
Of the stars that came before
Hitting the pavement
Still asking for more
When the hours don't move along
Worn-out wood and familiar songs
To hear your voice is not enough
It's more than a shame
Can you deny
There's nothing greater
Nothing more
Than the traveling hands of time
St. Genevieve can hold back the water
Saints don't bother
With the-tear stained eye
Like a man said
Rode hard and put away wet
Throw away the bad news
Put it to rest
If learning is living
And the truth is a state of mind
You'll find it's better
At the end of the line
Can you deny
There's nothing greater
Nothing more
Than the traveling hands of time?
St. Genevieve can hold back the water
Saints don't bother
With the tear stained eye
St. Genevieve can hold back the water
Saints don't bother
With the tear stained eye
Getting to know the concrete
Looking for a purpose
From a neon sign
I would meet you anywhere
The western sun meets the air
We'll hit the road
Never looking behind
Can you deny
There's nothing greater
Nothing more
Than the traveling hands of time?
St. Genevieve can hold back the water
Saints don't bother
With the tear-stained eye
Seeing traces
Of the stars that came before
Hitting the pavement
Still asking for more
When the hours don't move along
Worn-out wood and familiar songs
To hear your voice is not enough
It's more than a shame
Can you deny
There's nothing greater
Nothing more
Than the traveling hands of time
St. Genevieve can hold back the water
Saints don't bother
With the-tear stained eye
Like a man said
Rode hard and put away wet
Throw away the bad news
Put it to rest
If learning is living
And the truth is a state of mind
You'll find it's better
At the end of the line
Can you deny
There's nothing greater
Nothing more
Than the traveling hands of time?
St. Genevieve can hold back the water
Saints don't bother
With the tear stained eye
St. Genevieve can hold back the water
Saints don't bother
With the tear stained eye
Lyrics submitted by punchyk, edited by Petrockies
Tear Stained Eye [DVD] Lyrics as written by Jay Farrar
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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