"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.
When I first set eyes on you
First you beat me up
Then you kissed me too
We'd throw stones into the sea
There were no others there
Just you and me
Across the bridge and down the lane
I knew I loved you then
You said you did the same
Oh maggie, what have you done?
I should have seen it coming
Into your sight I'd run
Oh maggie, come to me tonight
I will wait up for you
Make sure you're alright
I miss you
You taught me how to sink or swim
When I was scared that day
You just pushed me in
And when nobody was around
You let me kiss you then
There the love I found
I said I'd never let you go
You just smiled at me
How was I to know?
Oh, maggie, what am I to do?
How I can live with only memories of you?
Oh, maggie, tell me the truth
When your ship was sinking
Did you think it through?
I miss you
You were the fountain of my youth
And when I fumbled
You showed me what to do
And when we were both seventeen
You left me standing there
But you were never mean
And when I saw you out with him
He looked much older
And you looked very thin
I hadn't heard from you in years
And then your mama called
She couldn't speak for tears
She said you left me a note
Inside my pocket burns
With these words you wrote
Hey darling boy, don't you cry for me
I am forever yours
Now that I am free
We'll be together
Throw stones into the sea
They'll be no others there
Just you and me
I miss you
Maggie's gone
I think you came the other night
You stroked my brow
Your eyes were full of light
May have only been a dream
But I would walk with you
To places I never have been
Maggie's gone
First you beat me up
Then you kissed me too
We'd throw stones into the sea
There were no others there
Just you and me
Across the bridge and down the lane
I knew I loved you then
You said you did the same
Oh maggie, what have you done?
I should have seen it coming
Into your sight I'd run
Oh maggie, come to me tonight
I will wait up for you
Make sure you're alright
I miss you
You taught me how to sink or swim
When I was scared that day
You just pushed me in
And when nobody was around
You let me kiss you then
There the love I found
I said I'd never let you go
You just smiled at me
How was I to know?
Oh, maggie, what am I to do?
How I can live with only memories of you?
Oh, maggie, tell me the truth
When your ship was sinking
Did you think it through?
I miss you
You were the fountain of my youth
And when I fumbled
You showed me what to do
And when we were both seventeen
You left me standing there
But you were never mean
And when I saw you out with him
He looked much older
And you looked very thin
I hadn't heard from you in years
And then your mama called
She couldn't speak for tears
She said you left me a note
Inside my pocket burns
With these words you wrote
Hey darling boy, don't you cry for me
I am forever yours
Now that I am free
We'll be together
Throw stones into the sea
They'll be no others there
Just you and me
I miss you
Maggie's gone
I think you came the other night
You stroked my brow
Your eyes were full of light
May have only been a dream
But I would walk with you
To places I never have been
Maggie's gone
Lyrics submitted by Batesy_predator
Maggie Lyrics as written by Robert James Geoff Duff
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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Wow no ones commented? This is amazing song. I'm not quite sure what it means. Suicide? It almost certainly ends in her death.