"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.
A sense of denial
Come witness my trial
The crow has turned into a liar
I’ll live, I may die
I’ve failed though I’ve tried
But finally I fly
It is the fool
Who puts faith in false saviors
The innocent understands
He’s still falling
And furthermore
He’s now aware
“Come spread your wings
Awake now”
The enemy within
Will soon appear
You’re trapped in my mind
Ask for the key
Don’t search for fine lines
There’s no release
Though I can feel its presence
There’s a sign to reveal
Then after all
I’m sure I’ll keep on falling
They send a sign
When dead winter will come again
There from the ruins I will rise
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Believe in dark wings and dark words
The shadow returns
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Black shadows they hide and they wait
But they soon will return
It will never be the same
And nothing remains
I can’t find a way
But I’m facing it
Oh there will be no savior
I can foresee all the pain
They are about to creep in
“Curse me, hate me, hurt me, kill me”
Oh they will rest no longer
Paralyzed and frozen
Free your mind
You’re broken
Paralyzed and frozen
Learn to roam
Don’t look back”
On stunning fields of mayhem
I will find no relief
It’s just a dream
I wish that I could tell you
The vision fades
There is no sanctuary
What will go up
Surely comes down
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Believe in dark wings and dark words
The shadow returns
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Black shadows they hide and they wait
But they soon will return
In vain
Still I don’t understand
So talk to me again
Why do I fear these words?
What keeps holding me back?
I hear a voice
It comes from everywhere
“Now find a way
Cause you’re the key
Begin to understand”
The descending ends
Now I know I won’t fly again
On through the mist, I’m facing ground
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Believe in dark wings and dark words
The shadow returns
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Black shadows they hide and they wait
But they soon will return
Come witness my trial
The crow has turned into a liar
I’ll live, I may die
I’ve failed though I’ve tried
But finally I fly
It is the fool
Who puts faith in false saviors
The innocent understands
He’s still falling
And furthermore
He’s now aware
“Come spread your wings
Awake now”
The enemy within
Will soon appear
You’re trapped in my mind
Ask for the key
Don’t search for fine lines
There’s no release
Though I can feel its presence
There’s a sign to reveal
Then after all
I’m sure I’ll keep on falling
They send a sign
When dead winter will come again
There from the ruins I will rise
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Believe in dark wings and dark words
The shadow returns
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Black shadows they hide and they wait
But they soon will return
It will never be the same
And nothing remains
I can’t find a way
But I’m facing it
Oh there will be no savior
I can foresee all the pain
They are about to creep in
“Curse me, hate me, hurt me, kill me”
Oh they will rest no longer
Paralyzed and frozen
Free your mind
You’re broken
Paralyzed and frozen
Learn to roam
Don’t look back”
On stunning fields of mayhem
I will find no relief
It’s just a dream
I wish that I could tell you
The vision fades
There is no sanctuary
What will go up
Surely comes down
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Believe in dark wings and dark words
The shadow returns
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Black shadows they hide and they wait
But they soon will return
In vain
Still I don’t understand
So talk to me again
Why do I fear these words?
What keeps holding me back?
I hear a voice
It comes from everywhere
“Now find a way
Cause you’re the key
Begin to understand”
The descending ends
Now I know I won’t fly again
On through the mist, I’m facing ground
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Believe in dark wings and dark words
The shadow returns
Fear the voice in the dark
Be aware now
Black shadows they hide and they wait
But they soon will return
Lyrics submitted by revanchist
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This song is about Bran Stark, key character in A Song of Ice and Fire book series, also my favourite Blind Guardian song.
I agree with TheGuardianOfTheBlind: it's based on Bran Stark, ore specifically his conversations with the three-eyed crow while in a coma.