"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'll never let you stand alone
You'll always have my hand to hold
Our lengthy talks never get old
You're gonna change the world you know
And I said
Hey sunshine, don't you get yourself upset
Giving more than the world may ever know
So tilt your head towards the sun, you've got brighter days ahead
Don't you worry that your life will be cut short
I know you're scared, but so am I
We can read each other's minds
Through the windows in our eyes
You know you've got a lot of life
And I said
Hey sunshine, don't you get yourself upset
Giving more than the world may ever know
So tilt your head towards the sun, you've got brighter days ahead
Don't you worry that your life will be cut short
All the joy and the pain that you gave from the tears
That run with the rain
Yeah you've been so brave through all the pain
But let's not worry our lives away
You know you've given life meaning
And I said,
Hey, hey sunshine
Don't you worry that your life will be cut short
Tilt your head towards the sun cause you've got brighter days ahead
Don't you worry that your life will be cut short
no no no
You'll always have my hand to hold
Our lengthy talks never get old
You're gonna change the world you know
And I said
Hey sunshine, don't you get yourself upset
Giving more than the world may ever know
So tilt your head towards the sun, you've got brighter days ahead
Don't you worry that your life will be cut short
I know you're scared, but so am I
We can read each other's minds
Through the windows in our eyes
You know you've got a lot of life
And I said
Hey sunshine, don't you get yourself upset
Giving more than the world may ever know
So tilt your head towards the sun, you've got brighter days ahead
Don't you worry that your life will be cut short
All the joy and the pain that you gave from the tears
That run with the rain
Yeah you've been so brave through all the pain
But let's not worry our lives away
You know you've given life meaning
And I said,
Hey, hey sunshine
Don't you worry that your life will be cut short
Tilt your head towards the sun cause you've got brighter days ahead
Don't you worry that your life will be cut short
no no no
Lyrics submitted by LadyC93
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Fast Car
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this song is amazing.. after my best friend died on january 24th 2007 i listened to it every night and it got me through everything.. its encouraging when you're in a state of depression like that.. sending a good message that things WILL get better... when it says dont worry that your life will be cut short.. in my head that was telling me. no matter how depressed you are, or how depressed you get, dont do anything stupid. (i know thats not what it was intended to mean, but for me those were my words of wisdom) i think it actually means dont worry about death, you never know when you're going to die, so you cant be sad, you have to tilt your head towards the sun cause there are brighter days ahead. and life is too short to be anything but happy.
i dont know, all i know is that this song gave me hope in a time of grief... i found comfort in it when i couldnt find comfort in anything at all. this song saved my life.