"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.
Step out the door and it feels like rain
That's the sound (that's the sound) on your window pane
Take to the streets but you can't ignore
That's the sound (that's the sound) you're waiting for
You feel that your world starts crashing down
Whenever you're world starts crashing down
Whenever your world starts crashing down
That's when you find me
Yeah God love your soul and your aching bones
Take a breath, take a step, maybe down below
Everyone's the same
My fingers to my toes
We just can't get a ride
But we're on the road
If ever your world starts crashing down
Whenever your world starts crashing down
Whenever your world starts crashing down
That's when you find me
(Yeah) Lost 'til you're found
Swim 'til you drown
Know that we all fall down
Love 'til you hate
Strong 'til you break
Know that we all fall down
If ever your world starts crashing down
Whenever your world starts crashing down
If ever your world starts crashing down
That's when you'll find (find) me
Lost 'til you're found
Swim 'til you drown
Know that we all fall down
Love 'til you hate
Strong 'til you break
Know that we all fall down
All fall down, we all fall down, all fall down
We all fall down, all fall down, all fall down
Lost 'til you're found
Swim 'til you drown
Know that we all fall down
Love 'til you hate
Strong 'til you break
Know that we all fall down
That's the sound (that's the sound) on your window pane
Take to the streets but you can't ignore
That's the sound (that's the sound) you're waiting for
You feel that your world starts crashing down
Whenever you're world starts crashing down
Whenever your world starts crashing down
That's when you find me
Yeah God love your soul and your aching bones
Take a breath, take a step, maybe down below
Everyone's the same
My fingers to my toes
We just can't get a ride
But we're on the road
If ever your world starts crashing down
Whenever your world starts crashing down
Whenever your world starts crashing down
That's when you find me
(Yeah) Lost 'til you're found
Swim 'til you drown
Know that we all fall down
Love 'til you hate
Strong 'til you break
Know that we all fall down
If ever your world starts crashing down
Whenever your world starts crashing down
If ever your world starts crashing down
That's when you'll find (find) me
Lost 'til you're found
Swim 'til you drown
Know that we all fall down
Love 'til you hate
Strong 'til you break
Know that we all fall down
All fall down, we all fall down, all fall down
We all fall down, all fall down, all fall down
Lost 'til you're found
Swim 'til you drown
Know that we all fall down
Love 'til you hate
Strong 'til you break
Know that we all fall down
Lyrics submitted by caseykins, edited by ColorListener
All Fall Down Lyrics as written by Zack Filkins Ryan Tedder
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song in amazing. I think it means that everyone falls. Everyone has a down point in their life. Or, I also think it means like, the singer feels broken and his world has fallen down. "If ever your world starts crashin down, that's where you'll find me"