"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.
We've crossed the burning wasteland
Sought out forgotten tombs
Within this shattered planet
Beneath a broken moon
We live amongst the ruins
Where cities once did rise
From graves of fallen nations
Watch hollow eyes
In our time we have seen
Untold pain and suffering
Our legends tell of weapons
Wielded by kings of old
Crafted by evil wizards
Unholy to behold
We seek the fire lances
That slew the ancient race
The world where they were masters
Now lays in waste
In your time you will see
Endless death and misery
Invoke myth and prophecy
All you know shall cease to be
Sought out forgotten tombs
Within this shattered planet
Beneath a broken moon
We live amongst the ruins
Where cities once did rise
From graves of fallen nations
Watch hollow eyes
In our time we have seen
Untold pain and suffering
Our legends tell of weapons
Wielded by kings of old
Crafted by evil wizards
Unholy to behold
We seek the fire lances
That slew the ancient race
The world where they were masters
Now lays in waste
In your time you will see
Endless death and misery
Invoke myth and prophecy
All you know shall cease to be
Lyrics submitted by stevewizzle
Fire Lances of the Ancient Hyperzephyrians Lyrics as written by John D Cronise
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Also how he says "kings of old" and "evil wizards" because the idea of republics or science is incomprehensible to them, so they have fit it to their way of life.
Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.