"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.
Words, they don't mean nothing
So tell me why they hurt so much
I meant to tell you something
It was on the tip of my tongue
Words rush by so quickly
And it's too late to take them back
I tried to say I'm sorry
And that goodbye was just an act
But all my words got in the way
And all the things I meant to say
Were not the things you heard
Oh, why'd you have to go
And take me at my word
Words come back to haunt you
Yeah, they just keep hanging around
I still can hear the echo
I still can hear their angry sound
But all my words got in the way
And all the things I meant to say
Were not the things you heard
Oh, why'd you have to go
And take me at my word
Words can say I love you
Oh, words can break a heart
I should have stopped you leaving
And told the truth right from the start
But all my words got in the way
And all the things I meant to say
Were not the things you heard
Oh, why'd you have to go
And take me at my word
So tell me why they hurt so much
I meant to tell you something
It was on the tip of my tongue
Words rush by so quickly
And it's too late to take them back
I tried to say I'm sorry
And that goodbye was just an act
But all my words got in the way
And all the things I meant to say
Were not the things you heard
Oh, why'd you have to go
And take me at my word
Words come back to haunt you
Yeah, they just keep hanging around
I still can hear the echo
I still can hear their angry sound
But all my words got in the way
And all the things I meant to say
Were not the things you heard
Oh, why'd you have to go
And take me at my word
Words can say I love you
Oh, words can break a heart
I should have stopped you leaving
And told the truth right from the start
But all my words got in the way
And all the things I meant to say
Were not the things you heard
Oh, why'd you have to go
And take me at my word
Lyrics submitted by Rosaline23
Words Lyrics as written by Bobby Hart Tommy Boyce
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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