"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.
Forgive me if I seem to be
Impatient and obscene
It's just I'd like to fall so flat
And hear the voices shouting back
Tinkerbell should have waited
Before turning on the TV show
Tinkerbell should have waited
Before turning on the TV show
As orange buffoons dance,
They booked a faker in advance
Left purple jungles in a trance
To raise the nepotistic chant
Tinkerbell should have waited
Before turning on the TV show
Tinkerbell should have waited
Before turning on the TV show
Tinkerbell should have waited
Before turning on the TV show be
She should have waited,
She should have waited before the show
The TV show . . . the TV show
The TV show . . . the TV show
(La la la la la la)
So you want to be a star?
Tell the monkey where you are,
look the monkey in the eye
(the TV show . . . the TV show)
Did you fly into a rage?
Did you lust for centre stage?
Look the monkey in the eye
(the TV show . . . the TV show)
E G be
Did you yearn to leave your mark?
Did you swear that you'd go far?
Look the monkey in the eye
(The TV show . . . the TV show)
E G be
If you want to be a star tell the monkey
Where you are, look the monkey in the eye
(The TV show . . . the TV show)
E G be
La la la la la la la la la la la la
Impatient and obscene
It's just I'd like to fall so flat
And hear the voices shouting back
Tinkerbell should have waited
Before turning on the TV show
Tinkerbell should have waited
Before turning on the TV show
As orange buffoons dance,
They booked a faker in advance
Left purple jungles in a trance
To raise the nepotistic chant
Tinkerbell should have waited
Before turning on the TV show
Tinkerbell should have waited
Before turning on the TV show
Tinkerbell should have waited
Before turning on the TV show be
She should have waited,
She should have waited before the show
The TV show . . . the TV show
The TV show . . . the TV show
(La la la la la la)
So you want to be a star?
Tell the monkey where you are,
look the monkey in the eye
(the TV show . . . the TV show)
Did you fly into a rage?
Did you lust for centre stage?
Look the monkey in the eye
(the TV show . . . the TV show)
E G be
Did you yearn to leave your mark?
Did you swear that you'd go far?
Look the monkey in the eye
(The TV show . . . the TV show)
E G be
If you want to be a star tell the monkey
Where you are, look the monkey in the eye
(The TV show . . . the TV show)
E G be
La la la la la la la la la la la la
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