"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.
Hey man, I like your beard
And I like the way you serve that beer
I like the way your daughter smiles at me
Hey mister, could I have just one more beer
I got two big balls
A cap and a bat
And I play with them all the time
I got a million things I'd rather do
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
Yea, this is the place where I live
And the place where I love
Hey mamselle, fill me up baby
I like the way you give me gas
Tell me
Who is the man with the double-barrelled gun?
(My daddy)
I think I better move on fast
I got a big black car
A dog and a cat
And I play with them all of the time
I got a million things I'd rather do
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
Yea, this is the place where I live
And the place where I love
The way the old church spire stabs the clouds
And when the old folks say
I'll have another drink to see me
Through the day, thank you J.J.
Yea, this is the place where I live
And the place where I love
Hey, Mrs. be , take a look at me
D'you really think I'm quite that bad
Sometimes I say and do stupid thngs
That only serve to make you sad
I got a motorcycle, an empty seat
And twenty years ahead of my time
I got a million other things I'd rather do
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
Yea, this is the place where I live
And the place where I love
Ah, this is it
And I like the way you serve that beer
I like the way your daughter smiles at me
Hey mister, could I have just one more beer
I got two big balls
A cap and a bat
And I play with them all the time
I got a million things I'd rather do
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
Yea, this is the place where I live
And the place where I love
Hey mamselle, fill me up baby
I like the way you give me gas
Tell me
Who is the man with the double-barrelled gun?
(My daddy)
I think I better move on fast
I got a big black car
A dog and a cat
And I play with them all of the time
I got a million things I'd rather do
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
Yea, this is the place where I live
And the place where I love
The way the old church spire stabs the clouds
And when the old folks say
I'll have another drink to see me
Through the day, thank you J.J.
Yea, this is the place where I live
And the place where I love
Hey, Mrs. be , take a look at me
D'you really think I'm quite that bad
Sometimes I say and do stupid thngs
That only serve to make you sad
I got a motorcycle, an empty seat
And twenty years ahead of my time
I got a million other things I'd rather do
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
If only you say you'll stay mine
Yea, this is the place where I live
And the place where I love
Ah, this is it
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