"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.
(Chief Rocka)
Boom shaka laka yo here comes the Chief Rocka
Rock it down, so jump up off the tip you're not my nucca
For sharper type to battle make the people say ooh ah
Think I won't curse, I'll break down and say puta
Hey, madrigon, sesa me bichafi mi chocha?
Say what I want because, I'm that type of guy
Now fam-a-lam, I'll be damned, slam jams the weak
Could it be the skunk weed that makes us oh so funky?
Now hold it let me choose, couldn't be the booze
No it's the shoes (the shoes) It's gotta be the shoes!
'Cause girlies, they clock, they stand around and jock
so I say boom shaka lak, grab the microphone then rock
To tell you the truth, when on the mic
I'll say anything that sounds good
Like jump and a grump and sound over some uh?
The Cat in the Hat and the mouse ran up the stairs
"That doesn't make no sense!" c'mon who cares?
See even without the gift there's yours so don't be tryin' to knock me
I say what I want to say, as long it sounds funk
Some MC's wanted to buy me, so they try to take stands
But they don't understand, I'm the motherfuckin' man
I amaze and astound, rhythm up and down
Smack a group of them around, let them know who wears the crown
Who's-the-tip-of-the-top, the-cream-of-the-crop, the-best-under-the-sun?
I'm the Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Mr Funke, uh
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
Well um, boom, shak-a-lak, I got the flavors, the funk
Whew! And it's smellin' up the hip-hop
A little bit of this, a little bit of that
Mixed a, little of this, and now I gotta rap
I'm the, Chief Rocka, so I guess I am in charge
I freak it with a twist so you'll boom it in your cars
I'm the, one with the flow and the grip like GI Joe
I snatch, I grab, and then I grab the dough, see if
I was an Indian I'd still be the Chief
The only other difference I'd smoke weed in a leaf
To the hip, the hop, to the hibby to the hibbidy
hip-hop, oh no, I don't want to go pop!
I got, too much soul, rhythm and blues
R&B ya see, all that's cool, but
hip-hop and rap yeah that's where my heart's at
Even back when I used to break on a box
Backspins for backspin, even while I'm rappin'
Before I had a record, I always kept 'em clappin
Freestylin on the block, now I Chief Rock
I always entertain, by diggin in my crux
My brain, so if it's gonna rain let it rain
I spook you with the hit, make you jump like House of Pain
Boogaloo boogaloo, shake and jump
And remember, remember, Chief Rocka won't front
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
Ay Mr Funke
Whats up?
Can I get assistance?
For what?
For what? Yo Jazz, flex a cut
Well back is the backer, I'm chillin with my knocker
And if ya got beef, then you can live with Jimmy Hoffa like
[duo] what goes up, must come down
But not me clown
I cut 'em, crack a speaker when I'm pumpin'
So jump in, and watch your ears start hummin'
through the block, and don't forget to boom shak shak-a-lak
Well damn "Do It All" can I rock?
I hear a beat I grab the mic, and then I start this workin'
The kids around the way used to think that I was buggin
But they don't understand how I feel about the funk
I walk with the funk, I talk with the funk
I eat with the funk, I sleep with the funk
I live for the funk, I'll die for the funk
So now what do they say, when I'm walkin' up the block?
Boom shaka laka there goes the Chief Rocka
Boom shaka laka yo here comes the Chief Rocka
Rock it down, so jump up off the tip you're not my nucca
For sharper type to battle make the people say ooh ah
Think I won't curse, I'll break down and say puta
Hey, madrigon, sesa me bichafi mi chocha?
Say what I want because, I'm that type of guy
Now fam-a-lam, I'll be damned, slam jams the weak
Could it be the skunk weed that makes us oh so funky?
Now hold it let me choose, couldn't be the booze
No it's the shoes (the shoes) It's gotta be the shoes!
'Cause girlies, they clock, they stand around and jock
so I say boom shaka lak, grab the microphone then rock
To tell you the truth, when on the mic
I'll say anything that sounds good
Like jump and a grump and sound over some uh?
The Cat in the Hat and the mouse ran up the stairs
"That doesn't make no sense!" c'mon who cares?
See even without the gift there's yours so don't be tryin' to knock me
I say what I want to say, as long it sounds funk
Some MC's wanted to buy me, so they try to take stands
But they don't understand, I'm the motherfuckin' man
I amaze and astound, rhythm up and down
Smack a group of them around, let them know who wears the crown
Who's-the-tip-of-the-top, the-cream-of-the-crop, the-best-under-the-sun?
I'm the Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Mr Funke, uh
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
Well um, boom, shak-a-lak, I got the flavors, the funk
Whew! And it's smellin' up the hip-hop
A little bit of this, a little bit of that
Mixed a, little of this, and now I gotta rap
I'm the, Chief Rocka, so I guess I am in charge
I freak it with a twist so you'll boom it in your cars
I'm the, one with the flow and the grip like GI Joe
I snatch, I grab, and then I grab the dough, see if
I was an Indian I'd still be the Chief
The only other difference I'd smoke weed in a leaf
To the hip, the hop, to the hibby to the hibbidy
hip-hop, oh no, I don't want to go pop!
I got, too much soul, rhythm and blues
R&B ya see, all that's cool, but
hip-hop and rap yeah that's where my heart's at
Even back when I used to break on a box
Backspins for backspin, even while I'm rappin'
Before I had a record, I always kept 'em clappin
Freestylin on the block, now I Chief Rock
I always entertain, by diggin in my crux
My brain, so if it's gonna rain let it rain
I spook you with the hit, make you jump like House of Pain
Boogaloo boogaloo, shake and jump
And remember, remember, Chief Rocka won't front
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
(The Lord Chief Rocka, number one, Chief Rocka')
Ay Mr Funke
Whats up?
Can I get assistance?
For what?
For what? Yo Jazz, flex a cut
Well back is the backer, I'm chillin with my knocker
And if ya got beef, then you can live with Jimmy Hoffa like
[duo] what goes up, must come down
But not me clown
I cut 'em, crack a speaker when I'm pumpin'
So jump in, and watch your ears start hummin'
through the block, and don't forget to boom shak shak-a-lak
Well damn "Do It All" can I rock?
I hear a beat I grab the mic, and then I start this workin'
The kids around the way used to think that I was buggin
But they don't understand how I feel about the funk
I walk with the funk, I talk with the funk
I eat with the funk, I sleep with the funk
I live for the funk, I'll die for the funk
So now what do they say, when I'm walkin' up the block?
Boom shaka laka there goes the Chief Rocka
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