"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.
Sancho Panza, this is me
I'm your Sancho Panza
I get along, I know my ground
With me around, there's room for you to be amazing
I'm the one they don't remember
Were you in our school? they say
I get asked about my name again:
Panza, Panza, Panza
Around the boulevards we walk
The sun is always on your face
And I am always in your shade
And I am always the funny one
How I hate being the funny one
I never chose to be her, it strikes me as unfair
And people at our feet to be with us
Such a small comfort, l'm so used to this it turned me creative
I'm your Sancho Panza
I get along, I know my ground
With me around, there's room for you to be amazing
I'm the one they don't remember
Were you in our school? they say
I get asked about my name again:
Panza, Panza, Panza
Around the boulevards we walk
The sun is always on your face
And I am always in your shade
And I am always the funny one
How I hate being the funny one
I never chose to be her, it strikes me as unfair
And people at our feet to be with us
Such a small comfort, l'm so used to this it turned me creative
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