"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.
Stand down son, start resting easy
You've done your service, I am proud to have you home and see you safe, it's so good
You look so strong in that picture on the mantle you sent your mom when you were gone
But you look scared now, hollow eyed
When are you coming
When are you coming back where you belong
I swear that it's safe here, there's nothing to fear at all
Come on back where you belong, the pressure releases if you just let down your guard
Everything rests on you
You know that feeling well, the ball is falling
Falling, falling, so far from a close call
Your injuries aren't mortal wounds
The only thing that's killing you is what you saw
What you couldn't stop
But you're not the one I blame, it wasn't your mistake
You're safe now so come on back where you belong
I swear that it's safe here, there's nothing to fear at all
Come on back where you belong
The pressure releases if you just let down your guard
It's the simple things dad, I'm not hurt, I'm not dead
I just should be where my friends are lying
And I didn't hate those that I killed but they're all dead now
But I'm here alive with satellites and Friday nights
And no one to judge me for the things that I've done and all
So how can I live with that?
Back where I belong
Back where I belong
Back where I belong
Back where I belong
Take me back where I belong, you swear that it's safe here
There's nothing to fear at all
Take me back where I belong, the pressure releases
I just let down my guard
You've done your service, I am proud to have you home and see you safe, it's so good
You look so strong in that picture on the mantle you sent your mom when you were gone
But you look scared now, hollow eyed
When are you coming
When are you coming back where you belong
I swear that it's safe here, there's nothing to fear at all
Come on back where you belong, the pressure releases if you just let down your guard
Everything rests on you
You know that feeling well, the ball is falling
Falling, falling, so far from a close call
Your injuries aren't mortal wounds
The only thing that's killing you is what you saw
What you couldn't stop
But you're not the one I blame, it wasn't your mistake
You're safe now so come on back where you belong
I swear that it's safe here, there's nothing to fear at all
Come on back where you belong
The pressure releases if you just let down your guard
It's the simple things dad, I'm not hurt, I'm not dead
I just should be where my friends are lying
And I didn't hate those that I killed but they're all dead now
But I'm here alive with satellites and Friday nights
And no one to judge me for the things that I've done and all
So how can I live with that?
Back where I belong
Back where I belong
Back where I belong
Back where I belong
Take me back where I belong, you swear that it's safe here
There's nothing to fear at all
Take me back where I belong, the pressure releases
I just let down my guard
Lyrics submitted by sobeautiful
Slow Decay Lyrics as written by Christopher Andrew Carrabba
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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If you just let down your guard