"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.
There's a place where the sun breaks through
And the wind bites cold and hard
Stings my ears and
Tears my eyes
When the day starts to shout out loud
Stand tall
And glide
When you're all alone in the crowd
Don't fall
Don't hide
When you walk above the clouds
When you walk above the clouds
When the light is against your face
And your smile is soft and sound
That's when you tell me all your fears
And all your dreams
So proud
Stand tall
And glide
When you're all alone in the crowd
Don't fall
Don't hide
When you walk above the clouds
When you walk above the clouds
I try and tell you
To keep your head upright
Don't swing your sword and shield against the night
Don't block your blessings, boy
You don't have to fight
You don't have to fight
Stand tall
And glide
When you're all alone in the crowd
Don't fall
Don't hide
When you walk above the clouds
When you walk above the clouds
And the wind bites cold and hard
Stings my ears and
Tears my eyes
When the day starts to shout out loud
Stand tall
And glide
When you're all alone in the crowd
Don't fall
Don't hide
When you walk above the clouds
When you walk above the clouds
When the light is against your face
And your smile is soft and sound
That's when you tell me all your fears
And all your dreams
So proud
Stand tall
And glide
When you're all alone in the crowd
Don't fall
Don't hide
When you walk above the clouds
When you walk above the clouds
I try and tell you
To keep your head upright
Don't swing your sword and shield against the night
Don't block your blessings, boy
You don't have to fight
You don't have to fight
Stand tall
And glide
When you're all alone in the crowd
Don't fall
Don't hide
When you walk above the clouds
When you walk above the clouds
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This song reminds me of my brother Jon, who is Autisic and how he functions when he's out in the world and all the pride I want him to have an how proud he makes me.