"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.
Tweedle-Dee Dum and Tweedle-Dee Dee
They're throwing knives into the tree
Two big bags of dead man's bones
Got their noses to the grindstones
Living in the Land of Nod
Trustin' their fate to the hands of God
They pass by so silently
Tweedle-Dee Dum and Tweedle-Dee Dee
Well, they're going to the country, they're gonna retire
They're taking a streetcar named desire
Looking in the window at the pecan pie
Lot of things they'd like they would never buy
Neither one gonna turn and run
They're making a voyage to the sun
"His Master's voice is calling me"
Says Tweedle-Dee Dum to Tweedle-Dee Dee
Tweedle-Dee Dee and Tweedle-Dee Dum
All that and more and then some
They walk among the stately trees
They know the secrets of the breeze
Tweedle-Dee Dum said to Tweedle-Dee Dee
"Your presence is obnoxious to me"
They're like babies sittin' on a woman's knee
Tweedle-Dee Dum and Tweedle-Dee Dee
Well, the rain beating down on my windowpane
I got love for you and it's all in vain
Brains in the pot, they're beginning to boil
They're dripping with garlic and olive oil
Tweedle-Dee Dee, he's on his hands and his knees
Saying, "Throw me somethin', Mister, please"
"What's good for you is good for me"
Says Tweedle-Dee Dum to Tweedle-Dee Dee
Well, they're living in a happy harmony
Tweedle-Dee Dum and Tweedle-Dee Dee
They're one day older and a dollar short
They've got a parade permit and a police escort
They're lying low and they're makin' hay
They seem determined to go all the way
They run a brick and tile company
Tweedle-Dee Dum and Tweedle-Dee Dee
Well, a childish dream is a deathless need
And a noble truth is a sacred creed
My pretty baby, she's lookin' around
She's wearin' a multi-thousand dollar gown
Tweedle-Dee Dee is a lowdown, sorry old man
Tweedle-Dee Dum, he'll stab you where you stand
"I've had too much of your company,"
Said, Tweedle-dee dumb to Tweedle-dee Dee
They're throwing knives into the tree
Two big bags of dead man's bones
Got their noses to the grindstones
Living in the Land of Nod
Trustin' their fate to the hands of God
They pass by so silently
Tweedle-Dee Dum and Tweedle-Dee Dee
Well, they're going to the country, they're gonna retire
They're taking a streetcar named desire
Looking in the window at the pecan pie
Lot of things they'd like they would never buy
Neither one gonna turn and run
They're making a voyage to the sun
"His Master's voice is calling me"
Says Tweedle-Dee Dum to Tweedle-Dee Dee
Tweedle-Dee Dee and Tweedle-Dee Dum
All that and more and then some
They walk among the stately trees
They know the secrets of the breeze
Tweedle-Dee Dum said to Tweedle-Dee Dee
"Your presence is obnoxious to me"
They're like babies sittin' on a woman's knee
Tweedle-Dee Dum and Tweedle-Dee Dee
Well, the rain beating down on my windowpane
I got love for you and it's all in vain
Brains in the pot, they're beginning to boil
They're dripping with garlic and olive oil
Tweedle-Dee Dee, he's on his hands and his knees
Saying, "Throw me somethin', Mister, please"
"What's good for you is good for me"
Says Tweedle-Dee Dum to Tweedle-Dee Dee
Well, they're living in a happy harmony
Tweedle-Dee Dum and Tweedle-Dee Dee
They're one day older and a dollar short
They've got a parade permit and a police escort
They're lying low and they're makin' hay
They seem determined to go all the way
They run a brick and tile company
Tweedle-Dee Dum and Tweedle-Dee Dee
Well, a childish dream is a deathless need
And a noble truth is a sacred creed
My pretty baby, she's lookin' around
She's wearin' a multi-thousand dollar gown
Tweedle-Dee Dee is a lowdown, sorry old man
Tweedle-Dee Dum, he'll stab you where you stand
"I've had too much of your company,"
Said, Tweedle-dee dumb to Tweedle-dee Dee
Lyrics submitted by Lurgee, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum Lyrics as written by Bob Dylan
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Aside from identifying who Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum are, there's a LOT more to weed out in a song like this one, and what it means. That's just the tip of the iceberg! Looking for more info I found this paper, which seems pretty good: nicolamenicacci.com/bdcc/DylanTweedleDee.pdf give it a read, it's worth it