"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.
You caught us waiting for the weekend staring at the light, staring at the light.
You’re looking at us like we’re crazy about to start a fight, about to start a fight.
We must believe in something
We must believe in something.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
You stay behind and wait for something afraid of taking flight afraid of taking flight.
Our situations got you worried we won’t come back tonight we won’t come back tonight yeah.
We must believe in something
We must believe in something yeah yeah yeah.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song.
We’ve got more than what you’re seeing hold us back we’ll keep on dreaming.
Hold us back we’ll keep on screaming tonight, yeah tonight.
Don’t back down now they all need you around. Back down now they all need you around. Back out now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
You’re looking at us like we’re crazy about to start a fight, about to start a fight.
We must believe in something
We must believe in something.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
You stay behind and wait for something afraid of taking flight afraid of taking flight.
Our situations got you worried we won’t come back tonight we won’t come back tonight yeah.
We must believe in something
We must believe in something yeah yeah yeah.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song.
We’ve got more than what you’re seeing hold us back we’ll keep on dreaming.
Hold us back we’ll keep on screaming tonight, yeah tonight.
Don’t back down now they all need you around. Back down now they all need you around. Back out now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
Don’t back down now they all need you around keep going keep going.
Don’t back down now they all need to hear your song on the radio.
Lyrics submitted by jblount
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