"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.
These our the words to our song
(so its going down)
We enforce out what's sound
(helps to write down)
Well do you think they'd mind
(I guess we'd have to find out)
I don't think we've got much time
(What's going in around)
Yo check this-
Ima chill like the cubes of ice
When I mention Calcutta y'all feel the spice
As I roll with a two tone cellular phone
And get blown like inflation
Yea that's my price
(Shut up Mike)
I know hip hop's played out
(so its going down)
We enforce out what's sound
(helps to write down)
Well do you think they'd mind
(I guess we'd have to find out)
I don't think we've got that kind of time
(Burn it to the ground)
Fire (fire)
Fire in the hole.
(so its going down)
We enforce out what's sound
(helps to write down)
Well do you think they'd mind
(I guess we'd have to find out)
I don't think we've got much time
(What's going in around)
Yo check this-
Ima chill like the cubes of ice
When I mention Calcutta y'all feel the spice
As I roll with a two tone cellular phone
And get blown like inflation
Yea that's my price
(Shut up Mike)
I know hip hop's played out
(so its going down)
We enforce out what's sound
(helps to write down)
Well do you think they'd mind
(I guess we'd have to find out)
I don't think we've got that kind of time
(Burn it to the ground)
Fire (fire)
Fire in the hole.
Lyrics submitted by Harry_Manback
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Page
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Almost sounds like they're trying to diffuse a bomb at a big social event (prom?) The outward sound of explosion, a finite period of time, fire in the hole. I dunno. The line "do you think they'd mind" could have something to do with being a nuisance at prom, but for the purpose of saving lives. Would they rather live or have this night?