"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.
I hear that on a date she'll make you wait
Because she thinks it takes an hour to be fashionably late
When sooner comes to later
You will love her or you'll hate her
But I can't imagine any guy would miss a chance to date her.
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do)
No rice, no dice, she won't think twice
If she doesn't like the waiter, then she won't be nice
I could write myself a letter to persuade my friend I'd met her
But I don't think they would fall for it . . .
I think that they'd know better
They woke up
They spoke up
They broke up
On moblile telephones
She don't give half a chance to other guys
If I had half a nerve I'd probably try
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do)
The game's the same, but I'm afraid
Because I don't know all the rules and never really learned to play
I thought that I'd forgot her until I saw her in the water
Then my heart seized and my car keys went down, down, down
And as she swam away, my mind replayed
All the witty conversation I should have made
So I'll cut her picture from the front page of the Sunday paper
And attach her to my wall with a staple
Or I'll tape her . . .
They woke up
They spoke up
They broke up
On mobile telephones
They woke up
They spoke up
They broke up
On mobile telephones
She don't give half a chance to other guys
If I had half a nerve I'd probably try
(Do-do-do-do-do-do . . . )
Because she thinks it takes an hour to be fashionably late
When sooner comes to later
You will love her or you'll hate her
But I can't imagine any guy would miss a chance to date her.
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do)
No rice, no dice, she won't think twice
If she doesn't like the waiter, then she won't be nice
I could write myself a letter to persuade my friend I'd met her
But I don't think they would fall for it . . .
I think that they'd know better
They woke up
They spoke up
They broke up
On moblile telephones
She don't give half a chance to other guys
If I had half a nerve I'd probably try
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do-do)
(Do-do-do-do-do-do)
The game's the same, but I'm afraid
Because I don't know all the rules and never really learned to play
I thought that I'd forgot her until I saw her in the water
Then my heart seized and my car keys went down, down, down
And as she swam away, my mind replayed
All the witty conversation I should have made
So I'll cut her picture from the front page of the Sunday paper
And attach her to my wall with a staple
Or I'll tape her . . .
They woke up
They spoke up
They broke up
On mobile telephones
They woke up
They spoke up
They broke up
On mobile telephones
She don't give half a chance to other guys
If I had half a nerve I'd probably try
(Do-do-do-do-do-do . . . )
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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