"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.
And much like losing a friend
Think of that time that you never spend
Because when I fade so far away
I can create right up in my own head
But now we’re doing wrong, they say
I just don’t get to go my way
And picture walking downhill
A concrete world directed by your free will
And when you’re passing by, the faces speak to you,
Just like the words in a book are very clear to you
And when the sun shines
The most amazing things you’ll find
The cityscape satisfies your mind
The most amazing of humankind
And the time moves on
As the years are gone
And much like losing a friend
Think of that time that you never spend
Because when I fade so far away
I can create right up in my own head
But now we’re doing wrong, they say
I just don’t get to go my way
Walking with your head up
Cause there is nothing here that you want to pass up
Like the window shops and people on the sidewalks
Perfect chaos to you become a perfect thought
With the laws of physics on your side
It becomes clear, it’s a fact of life
And far too late, most realize
That now is here, and here is life
And the time moves on
As the years are gone
And much like losing a friend
Think of that time that you never spend
Because when I fade so far away
I can create right up in this old head
But now we’re doing wrong, they say
I just don’t get to go my way
Now, now, my way
Think of that time that you never spend
Because when I fade so far away
I can create right up in my own head
But now we’re doing wrong, they say
I just don’t get to go my way
And picture walking downhill
A concrete world directed by your free will
And when you’re passing by, the faces speak to you,
Just like the words in a book are very clear to you
And when the sun shines
The most amazing things you’ll find
The cityscape satisfies your mind
The most amazing of humankind
And the time moves on
As the years are gone
And much like losing a friend
Think of that time that you never spend
Because when I fade so far away
I can create right up in my own head
But now we’re doing wrong, they say
I just don’t get to go my way
Walking with your head up
Cause there is nothing here that you want to pass up
Like the window shops and people on the sidewalks
Perfect chaos to you become a perfect thought
With the laws of physics on your side
It becomes clear, it’s a fact of life
And far too late, most realize
That now is here, and here is life
And the time moves on
As the years are gone
And much like losing a friend
Think of that time that you never spend
Because when I fade so far away
I can create right up in this old head
But now we’re doing wrong, they say
I just don’t get to go my way
Now, now, my way
Lyrics submitted by SMUSER17174587
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