"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.
In time gone by, I lost my will
To try and find a clear way through
Now, it's been a while
Since I asked myself what to do
It's been a while since I played the fool
Cause they said "raise your game, leave the shame
In this place where you will remain
Unless you save your soul"
[Chorus]
Now it's going my way
Forget the time that I did then
Now it's going my way
I look and everything's OK
I've got nothing much to say except
The life that I now lead
Is going my way
Going my way
It's been a while since I spent the day
The whole day wrapped up in my dreams
It took a while upstaging misery
It isn't all it seems
Now I smooth my hair, feeling tight
I'm getting into something right
Living beyond those days
[Chorus]
I don't understand how it came to
(How it came to)
I don't understand those depths of despair
(Those despairs)
I don't understand how it came to
(How it came to)
I don't understand reaching that despair
(Reaching that despair)
[Chorus: x2]
Cause I've settles my mind
Settled my mind
To try and find a clear way through
Now, it's been a while
Since I asked myself what to do
It's been a while since I played the fool
Cause they said "raise your game, leave the shame
In this place where you will remain
Unless you save your soul"
[Chorus]
Now it's going my way
Forget the time that I did then
Now it's going my way
I look and everything's OK
I've got nothing much to say except
The life that I now lead
Is going my way
Going my way
It's been a while since I spent the day
The whole day wrapped up in my dreams
It took a while upstaging misery
It isn't all it seems
Now I smooth my hair, feeling tight
I'm getting into something right
Living beyond those days
[Chorus]
I don't understand how it came to
(How it came to)
I don't understand those depths of despair
(Those despairs)
I don't understand how it came to
(How it came to)
I don't understand reaching that despair
(Reaching that despair)
[Chorus: x2]
Cause I've settles my mind
Settled my mind
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Fast Car
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