"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 wake up, my shoulders cold
I've got to leave here, before I go
I pull my shirt on, walk out the door
Drag my feet along the floor
I pull my shirt on, walk out the door
Drag my feet along the floor
Then I see you, you're walking 'cross the campus
Cruel professor studying romances
How am I supposed to pretend
I never want to see you again
How am I supposed to pretend
I never want to see you again
Walked to class, in front of ya
Spilled kefir on your keffiyeh
You look inside and turn to the door
Drag your feet along the floor
Then I see you, you're walking 'cross the campus
Cruel professor studying romances
How am I supposed to pretend
I never want to see you again
How am I supposed to pretend
I never want to see you again
In the afternoon, you're out on the stone and grass
And I'm sleeping on the balcony after class
In the afternoon, you're out on the stone and grass
And I'm sleeping on the balcony after class
In the afternoon, you're out on the stone and grass
And I'm sleeping on the balcony after class
I've got to leave here, before I go
I pull my shirt on, walk out the door
Drag my feet along the floor
I pull my shirt on, walk out the door
Drag my feet along the floor
Then I see you, you're walking 'cross the campus
Cruel professor studying romances
How am I supposed to pretend
I never want to see you again
How am I supposed to pretend
I never want to see you again
Walked to class, in front of ya
Spilled kefir on your keffiyeh
You look inside and turn to the door
Drag your feet along the floor
Then I see you, you're walking 'cross the campus
Cruel professor studying romances
How am I supposed to pretend
I never want to see you again
How am I supposed to pretend
I never want to see you again
In the afternoon, you're out on the stone and grass
And I'm sleeping on the balcony after class
In the afternoon, you're out on the stone and grass
And I'm sleeping on the balcony after class
In the afternoon, you're out on the stone and grass
And I'm sleeping on the balcony after class
Lyrics submitted by carlitalolitax
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Fast Car
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haha wow, I have a totally different take on this song than ya'll. ;-) I think it's about being gay and living on a college campus. Let me explain my reasoning...
No one has pointed this out yet, but a keffiyeh is something traditionally worn by males.. not females. :) I believe Batmanglij wrote the lyrics to this song, and he has since come out as being gay (out.com/detail.asp).
To me this song tells a story of falling in love with a male (possibly professor) who turns out to not be gay, and hence is not interested in a relationship. The line, "You look inside and turn to the door," to me means that when the person realizes Batmanglij is gay, he walks away (i.e., not interested).
Thoughts? I could be wrong here.. have been wrong many times. ;-)
@SPB8 Wow I did realise it is usually worn by guys but I thought it was just a saying your idea is good