"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.
Woke up this morning a little too early
A little too tired, a little too surly
Guess I got up on the wrong side of the bed
when I should have stayed in it instead
But I gotta go to work cos I love it
Oh how I want to tell the boss to shove it
But no matter how much I want to crash
I need an abundance of funds when it comes to cash.
So I wash my face with little bit of water
To wake me up, does it work (yeah sorta)
Inspect the reflection, check my eyes
They're bloodshot and thats no surprise
So I wake up everyday the same way
No matter what time I hit the hay
Fall asleep at like 7 o'clock
And I wake up tired wearing dirty socks thinkin'
(I love work) I love work
(Work) I love work
(I love work) Geez I love work
(Work)
Put my shoes on, strap 'em up
Put on my shorts, scratch my nut
Put on my shirt, get somethin' to eat
And then I'm out the door and I'm into the street
Driving my car still putting my clothes on
When I realised that I left the stove on
I'm gonna be late if I have to go home
But I got no choice so I bust a U-turn
At the busiest intersection, really startin' to wish that I slept in
Cos now a cop is pulling me over
And I'm quite sure that i'm not quite sober
But he's happy just giving me ticket
When he pisses off I'm gonna flick it out the window
And go to work wired, hope I don't get fired for being so tired.
Quarter to's when I'm supposed to start
But I'm lookin' at my watch and its a quarter past
Boss tellin' me to get off my arse
But its against my religion to be working fast
So I said " another company's made some offers,
if you want me to stay, i need a new office"
He was fuming and foaming at the mouth
When he reminded me of the stove at my house
Never went back to turn it off
Because I got sidetracked interacting with the cop
Telling my boss fine I'm off then with my house and my stuff and the money that I've earned
Thought it was a lie, wouldn't let me go home
So I quit my job to save everything I own
Bust him in the eye, called him a jerk when it got me to thinkin'
I love work
(I love) I love work
(Work) I love work
(I love) Geez I love work
(Work)
Speeding home, I got pulled over again
By the same cop saying " well if it isn't my old friend"
Looked him in the eye, told him the truth
So he came to my house to check the proof
And there's the roof, fully ablaze
I guess I'm just having one of those days
I lost my job, my house burned down
And I got 2 tickets from the same clown
All my memories are up in smoke
All my enemies are fucken stoked
Cos now I've got nothing left
And I can't even collect counter cheque
Because for that, you need I.D.
And the Centerlink staff don't recognise me
Still I have a hangover, my head hurts
But none of this wouldn't have happened if i didn't go to work
Now I wake up in the afternoon
Hardly even ever leave my room
Unless I need to shit or piss
Or eat something cos I don't wanna miss
Jerry Sprinnger, Ricki Lake
I don't wanna clean the mess that I make
I'm allowed and proud to be a slob
It's all part and parcel of my new job
I can wake up with serious bed hair
I don't brush it, it just sits there
I'm makin sure I get enough sleep
And I hand my form in every couple of weeks
So the government pays for me to stay home
And I'd much prefer to be on my own
I got tired of being a clerk
But now... I love work.
(I love ) I love work
(Work) I love work
(I love work) Geez I love work
(Work)
A little too tired, a little too surly
Guess I got up on the wrong side of the bed
when I should have stayed in it instead
But I gotta go to work cos I love it
Oh how I want to tell the boss to shove it
But no matter how much I want to crash
I need an abundance of funds when it comes to cash.
So I wash my face with little bit of water
To wake me up, does it work (yeah sorta)
Inspect the reflection, check my eyes
They're bloodshot and thats no surprise
So I wake up everyday the same way
No matter what time I hit the hay
Fall asleep at like 7 o'clock
And I wake up tired wearing dirty socks thinkin'
(I love work) I love work
(Work) I love work
(I love work) Geez I love work
(Work)
Put my shoes on, strap 'em up
Put on my shorts, scratch my nut
Put on my shirt, get somethin' to eat
And then I'm out the door and I'm into the street
Driving my car still putting my clothes on
When I realised that I left the stove on
I'm gonna be late if I have to go home
But I got no choice so I bust a U-turn
At the busiest intersection, really startin' to wish that I slept in
Cos now a cop is pulling me over
And I'm quite sure that i'm not quite sober
But he's happy just giving me ticket
When he pisses off I'm gonna flick it out the window
And go to work wired, hope I don't get fired for being so tired.
Quarter to's when I'm supposed to start
But I'm lookin' at my watch and its a quarter past
Boss tellin' me to get off my arse
But its against my religion to be working fast
So I said " another company's made some offers,
if you want me to stay, i need a new office"
He was fuming and foaming at the mouth
When he reminded me of the stove at my house
Never went back to turn it off
Because I got sidetracked interacting with the cop
Telling my boss fine I'm off then with my house and my stuff and the money that I've earned
Thought it was a lie, wouldn't let me go home
So I quit my job to save everything I own
Bust him in the eye, called him a jerk when it got me to thinkin'
I love work
(I love) I love work
(Work) I love work
(I love) Geez I love work
(Work)
Speeding home, I got pulled over again
By the same cop saying " well if it isn't my old friend"
Looked him in the eye, told him the truth
So he came to my house to check the proof
And there's the roof, fully ablaze
I guess I'm just having one of those days
I lost my job, my house burned down
And I got 2 tickets from the same clown
All my memories are up in smoke
All my enemies are fucken stoked
Cos now I've got nothing left
And I can't even collect counter cheque
Because for that, you need I.D.
And the Centerlink staff don't recognise me
Still I have a hangover, my head hurts
But none of this wouldn't have happened if i didn't go to work
Now I wake up in the afternoon
Hardly even ever leave my room
Unless I need to shit or piss
Or eat something cos I don't wanna miss
Jerry Sprinnger, Ricki Lake
I don't wanna clean the mess that I make
I'm allowed and proud to be a slob
It's all part and parcel of my new job
I can wake up with serious bed hair
I don't brush it, it just sits there
I'm makin sure I get enough sleep
And I hand my form in every couple of weeks
So the government pays for me to stay home
And I'd much prefer to be on my own
I got tired of being a clerk
But now... I love work.
(I love ) I love work
(Work) I love work
(I love work) Geez I love work
(Work)
Lyrics submitted by J0K3R
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Fast Car
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