"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.
And when it rains on this side of town
It touches everything
Just say it again and mean it
We don't miss a thing
You made yourself a bed at the bottom
Of the blackest hole (blackest hole)
And convinced yourself
That it's not the reason you don't see the sun anymore
And no, oh
How could you do it?
Oh, I
I never saw it coming
No, oh
I need an ending
So why can't you stay
Just long enough to explain?
And when it rains
You always find an escape
Just running away
From all of the ones who love you
From everything
You made yourself a bed at the bottom
Of the blackest hole (blackest hole)
And you'll sleep till May
You'll say that you don't wanna see the sun anymore
And no, oh
How could you do it?
Oh, I
I never saw it coming
No, oh
I need an ending
So why can't you stay
Just long enough to explain?
(Explain your side
Take my side)
Take these chances to turn it around
Let's take these chances we'll make it somehow
And take these chances and turn it around
Just turn it around
No, how could you do it?
Oh, I, I never saw it coming
No, oh, how could you do it?
Oh, I, I never saw it coming
No, oh, how could you do it?
Oh, I, I never saw it coming
No, oh
I need an ending
So why can't you stay
Just long enough to explain?
You can take your time, take my time
It touches everything
Just say it again and mean it
We don't miss a thing
You made yourself a bed at the bottom
Of the blackest hole (blackest hole)
And convinced yourself
That it's not the reason you don't see the sun anymore
And no, oh
How could you do it?
Oh, I
I never saw it coming
No, oh
I need an ending
So why can't you stay
Just long enough to explain?
And when it rains
You always find an escape
Just running away
From all of the ones who love you
From everything
You made yourself a bed at the bottom
Of the blackest hole (blackest hole)
And you'll sleep till May
You'll say that you don't wanna see the sun anymore
And no, oh
How could you do it?
Oh, I
I never saw it coming
No, oh
I need an ending
So why can't you stay
Just long enough to explain?
(Explain your side
Take my side)
Take these chances to turn it around
Let's take these chances we'll make it somehow
And take these chances and turn it around
Just turn it around
No, how could you do it?
Oh, I, I never saw it coming
No, oh, how could you do it?
Oh, I, I never saw it coming
No, oh, how could you do it?
Oh, I, I never saw it coming
No, oh
I need an ending
So why can't you stay
Just long enough to explain?
You can take your time, take my time
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Fast Car
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Plastic Bag
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alright so i think this song is about one of hayley's closest friends committing suicide. it's totally relevant and the whole song is just saying why did you give up on yourself and leave us all. it's a really emotional song. love it.