"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.
Waiting for the ambulance to come
Hoping that it doesn't come too late
Hearing the sirens in the distance
Hold on, help is on the way
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm right here beside her
Though I'll live somehow I've found
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm not a real survivor
Wishing that I was the one
That wasn't going to be here anymore
The one that isn't here anymore
The one that isn't here anymore
Oh, we can't trade places
Our lives our strangely all alone
Mr. Ambulance Driver
Tell me for everyone that dies
Someone new is born
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm right here beside her
And though I'll live somehow I've found
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm not a real survivor
Because I'm wishing that I was the one
That wasn't going to be here anymore
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm right here beside her
And though I'll live somehow I've found
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm not a real survivor
Because I'm wishing that I was the one
That wasn't going to be here anymore
The one that isn't here anymore
The one that isn't here anymore
(Waiting for the ambulance to come, who who whooo)
(Waiting for the ambulance to come, who who whooo)
Mr. Ambulance Driver
Hoping that it doesn't come too late
Hearing the sirens in the distance
Hold on, help is on the way
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm right here beside her
Though I'll live somehow I've found
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm not a real survivor
Wishing that I was the one
That wasn't going to be here anymore
The one that isn't here anymore
The one that isn't here anymore
Oh, we can't trade places
Our lives our strangely all alone
Mr. Ambulance Driver
Tell me for everyone that dies
Someone new is born
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm right here beside her
And though I'll live somehow I've found
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm not a real survivor
Because I'm wishing that I was the one
That wasn't going to be here anymore
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm right here beside her
And though I'll live somehow I've found
Mr. Ambulance Driver
I'm not a real survivor
Because I'm wishing that I was the one
That wasn't going to be here anymore
The one that isn't here anymore
The one that isn't here anymore
(Waiting for the ambulance to come, who who whooo)
(Waiting for the ambulance to come, who who whooo)
Mr. Ambulance Driver
Lyrics submitted by doGo13
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