"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 think I know what you mean, but watch what you say
'Cause they'll be tryin' to knock you down in some way
Sometimes it feels like the world is fallin' asleep
How do you wake someone up from inside a dream?
Your mind would wander and search for its place in the night
Your body followed this feeling like following light
Once that your music was born it followed you 'round
And then it gave your activities meaning and let you be loud
You're sad but you smile
It's not in your eyes
Your eyeballs don't change
It's the muscles around your eyes
An egg to fertilize
A pulse to stabilize
A body to deodorize
A life to scrutinize
A child to criticize
Young adults to modernize
Citizens to terrorize
Generations to desensiti-
Your dreams are sweet and obsessed and you're overworked
You're overtaken by visions of being overlooked
How disappointed would D.I.D.I.P.P. be
To see such power in our hands all wasted on greed?
Am I a prisoner to instincts or do my thoughts just live
As free and detached as boats to the dock?
Just like the music was born and detached from your heart
Is your free time to free minds or for falling apart?
Night after night
You turn off the light
You don't fall asleep right away
Are we, are we done?
A desk to organize
A product to advertise
A market to monopolize
Movie stars to idolize
Leaders to scandalize
Enemies to neutralize
No time to apologize
Fury to tranquilize
Weapons to synchronize
Cities to vapori-
'Cause they'll be tryin' to knock you down in some way
Sometimes it feels like the world is fallin' asleep
How do you wake someone up from inside a dream?
Your mind would wander and search for its place in the night
Your body followed this feeling like following light
Once that your music was born it followed you 'round
And then it gave your activities meaning and let you be loud
You're sad but you smile
It's not in your eyes
Your eyeballs don't change
It's the muscles around your eyes
An egg to fertilize
A pulse to stabilize
A body to deodorize
A life to scrutinize
A child to criticize
Young adults to modernize
Citizens to terrorize
Generations to desensiti-
Your dreams are sweet and obsessed and you're overworked
You're overtaken by visions of being overlooked
How disappointed would D.I.D.I.P.P. be
To see such power in our hands all wasted on greed?
Am I a prisoner to instincts or do my thoughts just live
As free and detached as boats to the dock?
Just like the music was born and detached from your heart
Is your free time to free minds or for falling apart?
Night after night
You turn off the light
You don't fall asleep right away
Are we, are we done?
A desk to organize
A product to advertise
A market to monopolize
Movie stars to idolize
Leaders to scandalize
Enemies to neutralize
No time to apologize
Fury to tranquilize
Weapons to synchronize
Cities to vapori-
Lyrics submitted by h00ktup, edited by LoneDepth, DsquareD, aiden10171
Ize of the World Lyrics as written by Julian Casablancas
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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Great version of a great song,
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iawtc ^
i love when his voice goes high.
its the climax of the song.. one of his most important things to express and make stand out!