"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'm sitting here
Thinking bout
How I'm gonna do without
You around in my life and how am I
I goin' get by
I ain't got no days
Just lonely nights
You want the truth
Well girl I'm not alright
Feel out of place and out of time
I think I'm gonna lose my mind
So tell me how you feel (I'm lonely)
Are you for real (So lonely)
Do you still think of me (I think of you)
Baby still (Are you lonely)
Do you dream of me at night (Like I dream of you all the time)
So let me tell you how it feels (Its like everyday I die)
Wish I was dreaming but its real (When I open up my eyes)
Let me tell you how it feels (And don't see your pretty face)
I think that I will never love again
I miss your face
I miss your kiss
I even miss the arguments
That we would have from time to time
I miss you standing by my side
I'm dying here its clear to see
There ain't no you, God knows there ain't no me
Don't want to live, I want to die
If I can't have you in my life
So tell me how you feel (I'm lonely)
Are you for real (So lonely)
Do you still think of me (I think of you)
Baby still (Are you lonely)
Do you dream of me at night (Like I dream of you all the time, so lonely)
Oh let me tell you how it feels (Its like everyday I die)
Wish i was dreaming but its real (When I open up my eyes)
Let me tell you how it feels (And don't see your pretty face)
I think that I will never love again
Thinking bout
How I'm gonna do without
You around in my life and how am I
I goin' get by
I ain't got no days
Just lonely nights
You want the truth
Well girl I'm not alright
Feel out of place and out of time
I think I'm gonna lose my mind
So tell me how you feel (I'm lonely)
Are you for real (So lonely)
Do you still think of me (I think of you)
Baby still (Are you lonely)
Do you dream of me at night (Like I dream of you all the time)
So let me tell you how it feels (Its like everyday I die)
Wish I was dreaming but its real (When I open up my eyes)
Let me tell you how it feels (And don't see your pretty face)
I think that I will never love again
I miss your face
I miss your kiss
I even miss the arguments
That we would have from time to time
I miss you standing by my side
I'm dying here its clear to see
There ain't no you, God knows there ain't no me
Don't want to live, I want to die
If I can't have you in my life
So tell me how you feel (I'm lonely)
Are you for real (So lonely)
Do you still think of me (I think of you)
Baby still (Are you lonely)
Do you dream of me at night (Like I dream of you all the time, so lonely)
Oh let me tell you how it feels (Its like everyday I die)
Wish i was dreaming but its real (When I open up my eyes)
Let me tell you how it feels (And don't see your pretty face)
I think that I will never love again
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Fast Car
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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Good song but hella sad. Horrible song to listen to when you're going through shit.
"It's like everyday I die" and "I will never-I will never love again."
Wish they coulda added more of that spanish guitar. It sounds so awesome.