The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Standing there before you / defences thrown aside / I thought I heard you laughing / but
When I asked you said you'd cried / I wanted to believe you / yes I wanted to feel strong
/ but looking at my picture / I realised I must be wrong / sounds so weak / it sounds so
Fey / it doesn't sound / like what I meant to say / I speak to you / with a borrowed
Tongue / shall I stop right now / or blindly carry on? / choose one [? ] / but I'm not
Everyone / I only have one viewpoint / don't talk to me of right or wrong / and didn't I
Often tell you / oh didn't I often say / that something in your manner / that really takes
My breath away? / it's not weak / to show I care / I know of those / who wouldn't even
Bear / the fact remains / I feel a need / is it love / or is it simply greed? / it's not
Weak / to show I care / I know of those / who wouldn't even bear / the fact remains / I
Feel a need / is it love / or is it simply greed? / you choose what you believe in / as
Far as I'm concerned / but one thing I can tell you / is innocence cannot be learned / I
Wish you'd stop me talking / oh I wish you'd shut my mouth / well the reason why I tell
You / is I think that you could help me out / and if you do then there's no doubt / that
All my problems won't just fly away.
When I asked you said you'd cried / I wanted to believe you / yes I wanted to feel strong
/ but looking at my picture / I realised I must be wrong / sounds so weak / it sounds so
Fey / it doesn't sound / like what I meant to say / I speak to you / with a borrowed
Tongue / shall I stop right now / or blindly carry on? / choose one [? ] / but I'm not
Everyone / I only have one viewpoint / don't talk to me of right or wrong / and didn't I
Often tell you / oh didn't I often say / that something in your manner / that really takes
My breath away? / it's not weak / to show I care / I know of those / who wouldn't even
Bear / the fact remains / I feel a need / is it love / or is it simply greed? / it's not
Weak / to show I care / I know of those / who wouldn't even bear / the fact remains / I
Feel a need / is it love / or is it simply greed? / you choose what you believe in / as
Far as I'm concerned / but one thing I can tell you / is innocence cannot be learned / I
Wish you'd stop me talking / oh I wish you'd shut my mouth / well the reason why I tell
You / is I think that you could help me out / and if you do then there's no doubt / that
All my problems won't just fly away.
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"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.
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Where it says "Choose one...", the lyric should actually have been "It's everybody's problem..." so I've heard.
Although on the recording, Jarvis messes up the words and starts singing the final verse by accident, before correcting himself, resulting in the words sounding like "You choose what you belie...blem".
Legend has it that Jarvis purposefully messed the words up simply cos he didn't like the song...?
This means the one ine that actually had the title of the song in it is never actually sung! Amazing. And it was still released as a single in this state.