"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.
We heard Richard Nixon say, welcome to the USA
The common sense I sometimes lack
Has opened up a seismic crack
We've fallen in and I can't pull back
And I guess we'll have to stay
In open arms we put our trust they put us on a big red bus
Twin spirits soaking up a dream
Fuel to feed the press machine
After years that were long and lean
We're finally on our way
[Chorus:]
And Richard Nixon's on his knees he's sent so many overseas
He'd like to know if you and me could help him in some way
A little camouflage and glue to mask the evil that men do
A small diversion caused by two, pale kids come to play
And we heard Richard Nixon say "welcome to the USA"
Neither of us understood the way things ticked in Hollywood
We just loaded in and grabbed the bat
With little room to swing a cat
And pretty soon we were where it's at
Or so the papers say
And all around us suntanned teens, beauty like we'd never seen
Our heroes led us by the hand
Through Brian Wilson's promised land
Where Disney's God and he commands
Both mice and men to stay
[Chorus]
In a bright red Porsche on Sunset I saw Steve McQueen
I guess he's just about the coolest guy I've ever seen
And for you and me that speeding car is how it's going to be
I see no brakes just open road and lots of gasoline
Oh we heard Richard Nixon say, welcome to the USA
The common sense I sometimes lack
Has opened up a seismic crack
We've fallen in and I can't pull back
Pale kids come to play
And we heard Richard Nixon say, I've gotta go but you can stay
Pale kids come to play
And we heard Richard Nixon say, I've gotta go but you can stay...
The common sense I sometimes lack
Has opened up a seismic crack
We've fallen in and I can't pull back
And I guess we'll have to stay
In open arms we put our trust they put us on a big red bus
Twin spirits soaking up a dream
Fuel to feed the press machine
After years that were long and lean
We're finally on our way
[Chorus:]
And Richard Nixon's on his knees he's sent so many overseas
He'd like to know if you and me could help him in some way
A little camouflage and glue to mask the evil that men do
A small diversion caused by two, pale kids come to play
And we heard Richard Nixon say "welcome to the USA"
Neither of us understood the way things ticked in Hollywood
We just loaded in and grabbed the bat
With little room to swing a cat
And pretty soon we were where it's at
Or so the papers say
And all around us suntanned teens, beauty like we'd never seen
Our heroes led us by the hand
Through Brian Wilson's promised land
Where Disney's God and he commands
Both mice and men to stay
[Chorus]
In a bright red Porsche on Sunset I saw Steve McQueen
I guess he's just about the coolest guy I've ever seen
And for you and me that speeding car is how it's going to be
I see no brakes just open road and lots of gasoline
Oh we heard Richard Nixon say, welcome to the USA
The common sense I sometimes lack
Has opened up a seismic crack
We've fallen in and I can't pull back
Pale kids come to play
And we heard Richard Nixon say, I've gotta go but you can stay
Pale kids come to play
And we heard Richard Nixon say, I've gotta go but you can stay...
Lyrics submitted by Matthew M.
Postcards from Richard Nixon Lyrics as written by Elton John Bernie Taupin
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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