"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.
Dropkick Murphys - CAPTAIN KELLY'S KITCHEN (COURTIN' IN THE KITCHEN)
Come single guy and gal unto me pay attention
Don't ever fall in love
It's the devil's own invention
For once he fell in love with a maiden so bewitching
Miss Henrietta Bell down in Captain Kelly's kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
At the age of seventeen I apprenticed to a grocer
Not far from Stephen's Green
Where Miss Henri' used to go sir
Her manners were sublime she set my heart a-twitchin'
When she invited me to a party in the kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
Sunday was the day that they were to have their flare-up
He dressed himself quite gay
I frizzed and oiled my hair up
The Captain had no wife and he had gone a-fishin'
She groped me on the stairs beneath the old man's kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
Her arms around my waist she slyly hinted marriage
When to the door in haste came Captain Kelly's carriage
Her eyes were full of hate and poison she was spittin'
The Captain kicked the door in and stormed into the kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
When the Captain came downstairs he saw my situation
In spite of all his prayers he was marched off to the station
For him they'd take no bail
To get home I was itchin'
He had to tell the tale how I came into the kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
I said she did invite me
But she gave flat denial
For assault she did indict me and I was sent for trial
She swore he'd robbed her house
In spite of all her screechin'
I got six months hard
For his courtin' in the kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
Come single guy and gal unto me pay attention
Don't ever fall in love
It's the devil's own invention
For once he fell in love with a maiden so bewitching
Miss Henrietta Bell down in Captain Kelly's kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
At the age of seventeen I apprenticed to a grocer
Not far from Stephen's Green
Where Miss Henri' used to go sir
Her manners were sublime she set my heart a-twitchin'
When she invited me to a party in the kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
Sunday was the day that they were to have their flare-up
He dressed himself quite gay
I frizzed and oiled my hair up
The Captain had no wife and he had gone a-fishin'
She groped me on the stairs beneath the old man's kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
Her arms around my waist she slyly hinted marriage
When to the door in haste came Captain Kelly's carriage
Her eyes were full of hate and poison she was spittin'
The Captain kicked the door in and stormed into the kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
When the Captain came downstairs he saw my situation
In spite of all his prayers he was marched off to the station
For him they'd take no bail
To get home I was itchin'
He had to tell the tale how I came into the kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
I said she did invite me
But she gave flat denial
For assault she did indict me and I was sent for trial
She swore he'd robbed her house
In spite of all her screechin'
I got six months hard
For his courtin' in the kitchen
CHORUS:
With me toora loora la, me toora loora laddie
Me toora loora la and me toora loora laddie
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and actually, the words toora loora have been used to refer to a women's breasts (yeah i think that fits in this song) or just as filler words. they don't have a clear meaning, except in that their sound is comforting to babies, hence why its used alot in irish lullabies.