"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.
Why'd it get so cold,
When you left me here?
I'm right where I don't want to be,
Sitting with an empty heart
But the sea's alight this night,
It's telling me how to put it right
So tear it down,
tear it down, tear it down,
and put it back the way we like
Promises you made,
The hope, it turned to dust,
You let me down and left me out,
Feeling like a (?)
But I'm not the only one,
I'm standing up and singing out
Well show you up, show you up,
Show you how
Show you how it's really done
What do we make of ourselves,
What do we make of ourselves,
Well we're dancing,
By the side of the road,
So what do we make of ourselves,
What do we make of ourselves,
Hiding out,
All because we don't fit in,
Don't fit in
(x2)
When you left me here?
I'm right where I don't want to be,
Sitting with an empty heart
But the sea's alight this night,
It's telling me how to put it right
So tear it down,
tear it down, tear it down,
and put it back the way we like
Promises you made,
The hope, it turned to dust,
You let me down and left me out,
Feeling like a (?)
But I'm not the only one,
I'm standing up and singing out
Well show you up, show you up,
Show you how
Show you how it's really done
What do we make of ourselves,
What do we make of ourselves,
Well we're dancing,
By the side of the road,
So what do we make of ourselves,
What do we make of ourselves,
Hiding out,
All because we don't fit in,
Don't fit in
(x2)
Lyrics submitted by silversunlove
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