"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 fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make them all day
I get one down in a second if you wait
I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make them all day
I get one down in a second if you wait
Sometimes I feel sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner now we're making our fame
Bona fide hustler, making my name
Sometimes I feel sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner now we're making our fame
Bona fide hustler, making my name
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit them
Lethal poison through their system
Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit them
Lethal poison through their system
No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my banner, prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going to hell just pumping that gas
No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my banner, prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going to hell just pumping that gas
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
M.I.A.
Third world democracy
Yeah, I got more records than the K.G.B.
So, uh, no funny business
Some, some, some I, some I murder
Some, I some I let go
Some, some, some I, some I murder
Some, I some I let go
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make them all day
I get one down in a second if you wait
I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make them all day
I get one down in a second if you wait
Sometimes I feel sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner now we're making our fame
Bona fide hustler, making my name
Sometimes I feel sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner now we're making our fame
Bona fide hustler, making my name
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit them
Lethal poison through their system
Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit them
Lethal poison through their system
No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my banner, prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going to hell just pumping that gas
No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my banner, prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going to hell just pumping that gas
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
M.I.A.
Third world democracy
Yeah, I got more records than the K.G.B.
So, uh, no funny business
Some, some, some I, some I murder
Some, I some I let go
Some, some, some I, some I murder
Some, I some I let go
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money
Lyrics submitted by maggotbrain
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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The "bang bang bang bang" and "ka-ching" overpowering the kids' voices really says something, I believe.
According to wikipedia: When the civil war broke out, she notes as "bullying exploitation" the way soldiers from Sri Lanka's military would put guns through holes in the windows and shoot at the school. Her classmates were trained to dive under the table or run next door to English schools that, according to her, "wouldn’t get shot"<br /> I think this song refers to military force by "third world" countries. Like how they exploit people. I don't have any other view point.
Great remarks