"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.
Dear Mama, tell me why's it gotta be so hard
I'm just trying to find my place and I'm still so far
I don't wanna live the rest of my life like this
somebody help, this hell has disguised my gifts
and Dear Son, I will do better 'cause I owe you that much
I must push on, be strong and never give up
Now bring it back, bring it back, bring it back
One boy with three sisters
two perfect parents and a brand new home completes the picture
oh yeah, you had a dog
we used to visit on Thanksgiving but were treated rather odd sometimes
like we was misfits
me and my brothers would fart & cuss but that was some regular kid shit
Aunty Terri didn't like that
I know she sheltered ya'll a bit, I used to think that was the right track
you ate proper, watched your bed times and such
went to church every Sunday, and we would rough you up when we saw you
but you was tough though on the under
not tough enough to deal with the lightning and thunder
a mama's boy felt when his mama boned out
left you high and dry so that she could zone out
I know it hurt, for that she dirt but maybe we could forgive her
and she don't cry you no river, just get her life together.
Dear Mama, tell me why's it gotta be so hard
I'm just trying to find my place and I'm still so far
I don't wanna live the rest of my life like this
somebody help, this hell has disguised my gifts
and Dear Son, I will do better 'cause I owe you that much
I must push on, be strong and never give up
Now bring it back, bring it back, bring it back.
Somebody did you wrong, my cousin
it wasn't your fault, your mama wasn't strong, keep lovin
I see you fallin down while I'm rubbing elbows 'round the town
I'm feeling your pain, though
You try and ease it but the drugs make your head hang low
search for a reason from above, it just ain't so
you're dyin slow, folks around you crying, trying everything
but it feels like there ain't no hope
and so I wrote this song before you die
'cause music cannot bring you back no matter how we try
and you know you ain't right
your son's mother's already gone now your fucking up this life, Matthew
I say that 'cause it's true, I wanna wake you
human, I wanna shake you so you can make a break through and fix it
I don't understand what the risk is
I love you man, handle your business...
Dear Mama, tell me why's it gotta be so hard
I'm just trying to find my place and I'm still so far
I don't wanna live the rest of my life like this
somebody help, this hell has disguised my gifts
and Dear Son, I will do better 'cause I owe you that much
I must push on, be strong and never give up
Now bring it back, bring it back, bring it back.
I'm just trying to find my place and I'm still so far
I don't wanna live the rest of my life like this
somebody help, this hell has disguised my gifts
and Dear Son, I will do better 'cause I owe you that much
I must push on, be strong and never give up
Now bring it back, bring it back, bring it back
One boy with three sisters
two perfect parents and a brand new home completes the picture
oh yeah, you had a dog
we used to visit on Thanksgiving but were treated rather odd sometimes
like we was misfits
me and my brothers would fart & cuss but that was some regular kid shit
Aunty Terri didn't like that
I know she sheltered ya'll a bit, I used to think that was the right track
you ate proper, watched your bed times and such
went to church every Sunday, and we would rough you up when we saw you
but you was tough though on the under
not tough enough to deal with the lightning and thunder
a mama's boy felt when his mama boned out
left you high and dry so that she could zone out
I know it hurt, for that she dirt but maybe we could forgive her
and she don't cry you no river, just get her life together.
Dear Mama, tell me why's it gotta be so hard
I'm just trying to find my place and I'm still so far
I don't wanna live the rest of my life like this
somebody help, this hell has disguised my gifts
and Dear Son, I will do better 'cause I owe you that much
I must push on, be strong and never give up
Now bring it back, bring it back, bring it back.
Somebody did you wrong, my cousin
it wasn't your fault, your mama wasn't strong, keep lovin
I see you fallin down while I'm rubbing elbows 'round the town
I'm feeling your pain, though
You try and ease it but the drugs make your head hang low
search for a reason from above, it just ain't so
you're dyin slow, folks around you crying, trying everything
but it feels like there ain't no hope
and so I wrote this song before you die
'cause music cannot bring you back no matter how we try
and you know you ain't right
your son's mother's already gone now your fucking up this life, Matthew
I say that 'cause it's true, I wanna wake you
human, I wanna shake you so you can make a break through and fix it
I don't understand what the risk is
I love you man, handle your business...
Dear Mama, tell me why's it gotta be so hard
I'm just trying to find my place and I'm still so far
I don't wanna live the rest of my life like this
somebody help, this hell has disguised my gifts
and Dear Son, I will do better 'cause I owe you that much
I must push on, be strong and never give up
Now bring it back, bring it back, bring it back.
Lyrics submitted by convince
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