"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.
borders that we say are policing you back to their arms
tension to take pills that'll make you feel higher inside
do you often look back on us feeling confidently
would it make any difference if I wasn't late
or I've been to angry to show
the sovereign statements wrong
it's a bylaw and a value you want to honor hopeful thoughts
it's the talent, not the promotion
Story had shown
you all felt alone
Story had shown
you all felt alone
even if
if the sound it makes when it's tightening
sweet winding of
of a mandolin
hurts your fingers and
and you try to hold on but it's not quite working
this reminds me of the sound you make when we disagree
Story had shown
you all felt alone
Story had shown
you all felt alone
even if you've been so close you're not alone anymore
still we grow
still we grow
it reminds me of the sound you always used to make
Story had shown
you all felt alone
Story had shown
you all felt alone
even if you've been so close you're not alone anymore
still we grow
still we grow
tension to take pills that'll make you feel higher inside
do you often look back on us feeling confidently
would it make any difference if I wasn't late
or I've been to angry to show
the sovereign statements wrong
it's a bylaw and a value you want to honor hopeful thoughts
it's the talent, not the promotion
Story had shown
you all felt alone
Story had shown
you all felt alone
even if
if the sound it makes when it's tightening
sweet winding of
of a mandolin
hurts your fingers and
and you try to hold on but it's not quite working
this reminds me of the sound you make when we disagree
Story had shown
you all felt alone
Story had shown
you all felt alone
even if you've been so close you're not alone anymore
still we grow
still we grow
it reminds me of the sound you always used to make
Story had shown
you all felt alone
Story had shown
you all felt alone
even if you've been so close you're not alone anymore
still we grow
still we grow
Lyrics submitted by Shout4shoutsake
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I have to agree to be honest. Sometimes his lyrics are great, but most of the time they're very average.