"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.
what were you dreaming? . . . that made you sweat . . soaking wet . . . in a fever?
dark wings circling . . . slowly around . . slowly around . . slowly around
what grip held you? . . tossed & turned you . . tossed & turned you?
where were you going? carried away . . carried away . . & calling?
oh . . then mourning flies . . the fields awake & come alive . . darkness goes . .
the crows appear . . the scurrying squirrel . . the apple tree deer . . the sun fills
our bed . . the sun fills our bed
some cloud’s caught us . . trouble all around . . trouble comin’ down
six wings circling . . slowly around . . slowly comin’ down . . upon me
oh . . then mourning flies . . the fields awake & come alive . . darkness goes . .
the crows appear . . the scurrying squirrel. . the apple tree deer . . the sun fills our bed
. . the cats walk our head
they were on my chest . . it was a funny feeling . .
they had a map of my heart . . pulled pieces & parts & flew away . .
the birds were on my breast . . it was a funny feeling . .
they had a map of my soul . . dug for the coal & pulled it out . .
will you ever know?. . i’ll be right there with you . .
i have a map of your heart . . the pieces & parts
to make it whole again
oh . . ‘til mourning flies . . the fields awake & come alive . . darkness goes . .
crows appear . . the scurrying squirrel . . the apple tree deer . . carry me through
. . i’ll carry you
where have you been?
tell me where have you been?
where have you been?
tell me where have you been?
dark wings circling . . . slowly around . . slowly around . . slowly around
what grip held you? . . tossed & turned you . . tossed & turned you?
where were you going? carried away . . carried away . . & calling?
oh . . then mourning flies . . the fields awake & come alive . . darkness goes . .
the crows appear . . the scurrying squirrel . . the apple tree deer . . the sun fills
our bed . . the sun fills our bed
some cloud’s caught us . . trouble all around . . trouble comin’ down
six wings circling . . slowly around . . slowly comin’ down . . upon me
oh . . then mourning flies . . the fields awake & come alive . . darkness goes . .
the crows appear . . the scurrying squirrel. . the apple tree deer . . the sun fills our bed
. . the cats walk our head
they were on my chest . . it was a funny feeling . .
they had a map of my heart . . pulled pieces & parts & flew away . .
the birds were on my breast . . it was a funny feeling . .
they had a map of my soul . . dug for the coal & pulled it out . .
will you ever know?. . i’ll be right there with you . .
i have a map of your heart . . the pieces & parts
to make it whole again
oh . . ‘til mourning flies . . the fields awake & come alive . . darkness goes . .
crows appear . . the scurrying squirrel . . the apple tree deer . . carry me through
. . i’ll carry you
where have you been?
tell me where have you been?
where have you been?
tell me where have you been?
Lyrics submitted by RREhobo
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the format and some of the words in these lyrics seem off compared to what i hear, but i can't quite place it, so i'm no one to correct. (little things like instead of 'that made you sweat' i don't hear the 'that' and somehow that makes a difference? and then after the trouble coming down... ect, i hear 'upon us' maybe it's just the version i have?)
anyway, this song has gained quite some meaning for me. it reminds me of someone important who has had aweful dreams, and i just want to comfort them. it makes me think of having a little farmhouse in the woods (like the one in 'the good life'), and waking with them to golden mornings... with cats and all..
too literal, i know, but it's such beautiful imagery by itself, and an one that really calls to me.. so consequently this is one of my favorite songs. when i hear it my heart swells, and when i'm not hearing it, i'm often singing/humming it.
I was searching for the lyrics to this song after I heard it tonight. As soon as I heard it I started to cry.It hit me right in the gut.<br /> When I read/hear the lyrics I think of a time gone by where maybe a person was being consumed by the darkness or tormenting things. A long night filled with tossing and turning. When I read flies, I see a literal swarm of flies. <br /> "what grip held you? . . tossed & turned you . . tossed & turned you?<br /> where were you going? carried away . . carried away . . & calling?"<br /> I instantly connected with this song. The music really touched me. But I see a new day dawning and suddenly, the "mourning" of the long dark night is flying away.Like a swarm of flies in light of daybreak. Sunlight streams from the windows into the bedroom, shadows flee, terror has to go away, torment can't stay. <br /> I love this. So filled with hope. I agree with what Arpad said. I also know of someone also that is soooo important to me. Someone I'd love to just go away with to a little farmhouse in the woods and wake with them to golden mornings. :) That sounds too good to be true but worth fighting for. Worth hoping for.<br /> I think it is a great song about reconciliation. I think maybe there had to be a separation for the sake of preservation. And therefore created an opening for new beginnings. Healing.<br /> The last verse: <br /> <br /> "where have you been?<br /> tell me where have you been?<br /> where have you been?<br /> tell me where have you been?"<br /> So heartbreaking. The longing, and bewilderment just overwhelms.<br /> Its a great song.<br /> <br />