"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.
I'm just trying to call you, to tell you not to call me,
But it keeps going straight to the machine,
Ooh I'm just trying to reach you to tell you I don't need you,
Any less than you don't need me,
But it just rings,
and it rings,
and it rings some more.
And memories of you and me, come crashing through my door,
Let me tell you I'm leaving so I can cut this chord, or else
My heart'll keep on beating forever more.
I'm not looking to blame you, not looking to shame you,
Shame on me, it's my second time, ooh of,
Going too far, confusing the space with freedom but freedom's inside,
And so I sing, and I sing, and I sing some more,
A melody swallows me and lifts me from the floor,
Let me tell you I'm leaving so I can cut this chord,
Or else my heart'll keep on beating forever more.
Oh, it takes time, I thought this was right,
I thought this was something we both liked,
I would have stayed if you would have asked, but now,
The heartbreak songs are back, it's how I get over you.
It's why I write, emotion boiling up inside,
When it's this close I can't divide my heart and my mind.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh [4x]
So I'm just trying to call you to tell you not to call me,
But it keeps going straight to the machine.
But it keeps going straight to the machine,
Ooh I'm just trying to reach you to tell you I don't need you,
Any less than you don't need me,
But it just rings,
and it rings,
and it rings some more.
And memories of you and me, come crashing through my door,
Let me tell you I'm leaving so I can cut this chord, or else
My heart'll keep on beating forever more.
I'm not looking to blame you, not looking to shame you,
Shame on me, it's my second time, ooh of,
Going too far, confusing the space with freedom but freedom's inside,
And so I sing, and I sing, and I sing some more,
A melody swallows me and lifts me from the floor,
Let me tell you I'm leaving so I can cut this chord,
Or else my heart'll keep on beating forever more.
Oh, it takes time, I thought this was right,
I thought this was something we both liked,
I would have stayed if you would have asked, but now,
The heartbreak songs are back, it's how I get over you.
It's why I write, emotion boiling up inside,
When it's this close I can't divide my heart and my mind.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh [4x]
So I'm just trying to call you to tell you not to call me,
But it keeps going straight to the machine.
Lyrics submitted by Zorlin
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