"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 should not have hid where my heart can't follow,
'cause this grace gets so far and too hard to swallow.
I've been running from Saul, he's been giving chase;
when I look in his eyes, all I see is my face.
You're still on my back after all these years,
chasing me out of hell and my nice veneers.
I don't know how you stand when you've got no floor,
or how you can breathe with your hands on boards.
I just want to be not what I am today,
I just want to be better than my friends might say,
I just want a small part in your passions play.
Do you hear when I call in the midst of wrong?
Do you hear these here words while I sing this song?
Are you caught up in me like I heard you say,
or just some big cashier that I'll have to pay?
'Just want to be not what I am today,
I just want to be better than my friends might say,
I just want a small part in your passions play.
'cause this grace gets so far and too hard to swallow.
I've been running from Saul, he's been giving chase;
when I look in his eyes, all I see is my face.
You're still on my back after all these years,
chasing me out of hell and my nice veneers.
I don't know how you stand when you've got no floor,
or how you can breathe with your hands on boards.
I just want to be not what I am today,
I just want to be better than my friends might say,
I just want a small part in your passions play.
Do you hear when I call in the midst of wrong?
Do you hear these here words while I sing this song?
Are you caught up in me like I heard you say,
or just some big cashier that I'll have to pay?
'Just want to be not what I am today,
I just want to be better than my friends might say,
I just want a small part in your passions play.
Lyrics submitted by alicson
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I think this is a reference to the Christian Passion of Christ and the ever popular Passion Plays that many churches put on around easter. William writes his lyrics based on both personal experiences and those of some of his therapy clients. I would imagine that religion would be a common struggle.
The voice of the character (whether it be William or someone else) is talking about the normal feelings of wanting to be a better person and wanting to do the right things in life... he also wonders if he's heard (by God or whomever he is speaking to) when he speaks.
That's what I get from this. I hope it helps... and that I'm not to far off.