"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.
My aunt Jessie was cruel
Lord, she made me go to school
All the time
It was killing me
It was a crime
'Cause I could not be free
From the confines
Of those chains
Oh the river was deep
But the water looked sweet
Oh my, my, my
I jumped right in
You know I tried
But I could not swim
Through the darkness or the pain
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
So I headed for the hills
Let the danger break my will
Oh my, my
In a landslide
I was losing ground
And there was no one but myself to blame
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
No, no, no, I'd breakaway from those chains
Breakaway from those chains
Breakaway from those chains
Lord, she made me go to school
All the time
It was killing me
It was a crime
'Cause I could not be free
From the confines
Of those chains
Oh the river was deep
But the water looked sweet
Oh my, my, my
I jumped right in
You know I tried
But I could not swim
Through the darkness or the pain
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
So I headed for the hills
Let the danger break my will
Oh my, my
In a landslide
I was losing ground
And there was no one but myself to blame
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
Never thought I'd breakaway from those chains
No, no, no, I'd breakaway from those chains
Breakaway from those chains
Breakaway from those chains
Lyrics submitted by Buddha of Suburbia
Breakaway (From Those Chains) Lyrics as written by John Dillon
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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It's about living life for yourself, and freedom, man! He just couldn't stay trapped by his "Aunt Jessie" and other authorities. It was killing him, so he had to breakawaaaay... from those chains!!!