"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.
Let's go
Wanted:
Strong and able-bodied worker
Minimum wage
Fifty-eight hour week
An average Joe from the grand design
He breaks his back for big talk
He pulls up, he pulls down
He's the one over at the lever that puts the
Lids on the jars
Big talk
Big talk
Big talk
Big talk
Mr. Simpson says this business needs a strong arm
Some new part to clear out all the deadwood
So be sure and install that new long arm by next week
'Cause that short arm over there is through
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
It's big talk
Big talk (start to fall in line)
Big talk (I was watching you)
Big talk (when efficiency is cut)
Big talk (better buy more glue)
Big talk (start to fall in line)
Big talk (I was watching you)
Big talk (when efficiency is cut)
Big talk (better buy more glue)
An average Joe from the grand design
He breaks his back for big talk
He pulls up, he pulls down
He's the one over at the lever that puts the lids on the jars
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
It's big talk
Wanted:
Strong and able-bodied worker
Minimum wage
Fifty-eight hour week
An average Joe from the grand design
He breaks his back for big talk
He pulls up, he pulls down
He's the one over at the lever that puts the
Lids on the jars
Big talk
Big talk
Big talk
Big talk
Mr. Simpson says this business needs a strong arm
Some new part to clear out all the deadwood
So be sure and install that new long arm by next week
'Cause that short arm over there is through
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
It's big talk
Big talk (start to fall in line)
Big talk (I was watching you)
Big talk (when efficiency is cut)
Big talk (better buy more glue)
Big talk (start to fall in line)
Big talk (I was watching you)
Big talk (when efficiency is cut)
Big talk (better buy more glue)
An average Joe from the grand design
He breaks his back for big talk
He pulls up, he pulls down
He's the one over at the lever that puts the lids on the jars
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
Woah-oh, replace all parts with long arm
Woah-oh, this business needs a strong arm
It's big talk
Lyrics submitted by Heat
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Fast Car
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Yup, workforce reductions, the long arm being both machine and executive privilege.