"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.
Every 45 seconds a woman is raped
Our sexist culture allows no escape
This violent crime is far from obscurity
When the rate of victims is one in three
Society conditions men to be rapists
And our indifference perpetuates it
With derogatory language that tends to dehumanize
Making it easier for men to victimize
And the pornographic images that help portray
Women as legitimate sexual prey
When sexism is embedded in our judicial system
It's no surprise why the courts won't listen
And the role of attacker and survivor become distorted
So the majority of rapes are never reported
The threat of rape is always there
It's like a poison that saturates the air
A society stricken by a cancerous disease
Where men know they can do as they please
You tell me the punishment for rape
You tell me how much jail time it will take
When one out of three women will be raped
You tell me what it's going to fucking take
Do you see me in my low cut shirt
Or high heel shoes or a miniskirt
Woman is the victim you desire
You say you can't resist your predatory fire
You tell me why I stand guilty and accused
You tell me when I'm beaten and abused
When it's my body that's been raped and defiled
You tell me why I'm the one on trial
Defense attorney: Do you know the man who "allegedly" attacked you?
Victim: Yes, I know the man who raped me.
Defense attorney: And isn't this gentleman a friend of yours?
Victim: Well, I thought he was a friend of mine.
Defense attorney: And were you drinking that night he "allegedly" attacked you?
Victim: I had a drink or two but is that a crime?
Defense attorney: I'll ask the questions if you don't mind!
-What were you wearing? How did you act?
Victim: My wardrobe is not a reason for some guy to attack.
-I didn't act in any way to bring this on. Why am I on trail? What did I do wrong?
Defense attorney: Could you tell the jury why you let this happen?
Victim: I was in shock. I couldn't stop him.
Defense attorney: You claim that you were raped but how do we know?
Victim: I said no, I said no, I said no, no, no!
Defense attorney: Isn't it true you're just a woman scorned?
Victim: I'm a woman who's been raped and torn.
Defense attorney: Your honor, I demand that this case be dismissed,
-it all comes down to her word against his!
I may not have bruises all over my body
I may have been drinking while at the party
But when I went to his room I never would have guessed
That he would force my no to mean a yes
You tell me why I'm guilty of this crime
You tell me why the responsibility is mine
When women suffer a second rape during trial
Courts help rapists to violate and defile
Our sexist culture allows no escape
This violent crime is far from obscurity
When the rate of victims is one in three
Society conditions men to be rapists
And our indifference perpetuates it
With derogatory language that tends to dehumanize
Making it easier for men to victimize
And the pornographic images that help portray
Women as legitimate sexual prey
When sexism is embedded in our judicial system
It's no surprise why the courts won't listen
And the role of attacker and survivor become distorted
So the majority of rapes are never reported
The threat of rape is always there
It's like a poison that saturates the air
A society stricken by a cancerous disease
Where men know they can do as they please
You tell me the punishment for rape
You tell me how much jail time it will take
When one out of three women will be raped
You tell me what it's going to fucking take
Do you see me in my low cut shirt
Or high heel shoes or a miniskirt
Woman is the victim you desire
You say you can't resist your predatory fire
You tell me why I stand guilty and accused
You tell me when I'm beaten and abused
When it's my body that's been raped and defiled
You tell me why I'm the one on trial
Defense attorney: Do you know the man who "allegedly" attacked you?
Victim: Yes, I know the man who raped me.
Defense attorney: And isn't this gentleman a friend of yours?
Victim: Well, I thought he was a friend of mine.
Defense attorney: And were you drinking that night he "allegedly" attacked you?
Victim: I had a drink or two but is that a crime?
Defense attorney: I'll ask the questions if you don't mind!
-What were you wearing? How did you act?
Victim: My wardrobe is not a reason for some guy to attack.
-I didn't act in any way to bring this on. Why am I on trail? What did I do wrong?
Defense attorney: Could you tell the jury why you let this happen?
Victim: I was in shock. I couldn't stop him.
Defense attorney: You claim that you were raped but how do we know?
Victim: I said no, I said no, I said no, no, no!
Defense attorney: Isn't it true you're just a woman scorned?
Victim: I'm a woman who's been raped and torn.
Defense attorney: Your honor, I demand that this case be dismissed,
-it all comes down to her word against his!
I may not have bruises all over my body
I may have been drinking while at the party
But when I went to his room I never would have guessed
That he would force my no to mean a yes
You tell me why I'm guilty of this crime
You tell me why the responsibility is mine
When women suffer a second rape during trial
Courts help rapists to violate and defile
Lyrics submitted by horrorpunker
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