"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.
Woke up cold one Tuesday
I'm looking tired and feeling quite sick
I felt like there was something missing in my day to day life
So I quickly opened the wardrobe
Pulled out some jeans and a T-shirt that seemed clean
Topped it off with a pair of old shoes
That were ripped around the seams
And I thought these shoes just don't suit me
Hey, I put some new shoes on
And suddenly everything's right
I said, hey, I put some new shoes on
And everybody's smiling, it's so inviting
Oh, short on money but long on time
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine
And I'm running late and I don't need an excuse
'Cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes
Woke up late one Thursday
And I'm seeing stars as I'm rubbing my eyes
And I felt like there were two days missing as I focused on the time
Then I made my way to the kitchen
But I had to stop from the shock of what I found
A room full of all of my friends all dancing 'round and 'round
And I thought hello new shoes, bye-bye blues
Hey, I put some new shoes on
And suddenly everything is right
I said, hey, I put some new shoes on
And everybody's smiling, it's so inviting
Oh, short on money but long on time
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine
And I'm running late and I don't need an excuse
'Cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes
Take me wandering through these streets
Where bright lights and angels meet
Stone to stone they take me on
I'm walking 'til the break of dawn
Take me wandering through these streets
Where bright lights and angels meet
Stone to stone they take me on
I'm walking 'til the break of dawn
Hey, I put some new shoes on
And suddenly everything is right
I said, hey, I put some new shoes on
And everybody's smiling, it's so inviting
Oh, short on money but long on time
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine
And I'm running late and I don't need an excuse
'Cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes
Oh, hey, I put some new shoes on
And suddenly everything is right
I said, hey, I put some new shoes on
And everybody's smiling, it's so inviting
Oh, short on money but long on time
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine
And I'm running late and I don't need an excuse
'Cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes
I'm looking tired and feeling quite sick
I felt like there was something missing in my day to day life
So I quickly opened the wardrobe
Pulled out some jeans and a T-shirt that seemed clean
Topped it off with a pair of old shoes
That were ripped around the seams
And I thought these shoes just don't suit me
Hey, I put some new shoes on
And suddenly everything's right
I said, hey, I put some new shoes on
And everybody's smiling, it's so inviting
Oh, short on money but long on time
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine
And I'm running late and I don't need an excuse
'Cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes
Woke up late one Thursday
And I'm seeing stars as I'm rubbing my eyes
And I felt like there were two days missing as I focused on the time
Then I made my way to the kitchen
But I had to stop from the shock of what I found
A room full of all of my friends all dancing 'round and 'round
And I thought hello new shoes, bye-bye blues
Hey, I put some new shoes on
And suddenly everything is right
I said, hey, I put some new shoes on
And everybody's smiling, it's so inviting
Oh, short on money but long on time
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine
And I'm running late and I don't need an excuse
'Cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes
Take me wandering through these streets
Where bright lights and angels meet
Stone to stone they take me on
I'm walking 'til the break of dawn
Take me wandering through these streets
Where bright lights and angels meet
Stone to stone they take me on
I'm walking 'til the break of dawn
Hey, I put some new shoes on
And suddenly everything is right
I said, hey, I put some new shoes on
And everybody's smiling, it's so inviting
Oh, short on money but long on time
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine
And I'm running late and I don't need an excuse
'Cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes
Oh, hey, I put some new shoes on
And suddenly everything is right
I said, hey, I put some new shoes on
And everybody's smiling, it's so inviting
Oh, short on money but long on time
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine
And I'm running late and I don't need an excuse
'Cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes
Lyrics submitted by jenniejenjen
New Shoes Lyrics as written by Matt Benbrook Paolo Giovanni Nutini
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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I think it's a metaphor... although the new shoes idea isn't bad after all ;)) chicks always change their hair style when they want a change or they want to reflect it :D