"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.
Well I take my time a-comin’, take my time a-leavin’
If you ask me why I’m goin’, tell you when it’s needed
More than you know I could never be what you need
If you ain’t glad I’m leaving, girl you know you oughta be
‘Cause I lie I cheat I gamble, and I steal from many men
Where from Georgia to Los Angelos, Texas up to Maine
I’m a wanted man
Is that the kind of life you want to live (wanna live), baby?
(Life you wanna live)
If you ain’t glad I’m leaving, well you know you oughta be
So what’s a girl like you, want a man like me (like me, man like me)
Never know what I’m gonna do, if you never know where I’ll be (I’ll be, where I’ll be)
Now I know right now, baby, though it might seem wrong (seem wrong), yeah (might seem wrong)
But you don’t wake up in the morning, thanking to your Heavens that I’m gone
Well I’m so good, don’t take it too bad, ain’t nothing you could do
Well I ever fall in love and, keep it on the move
It’s just my way. I ain’t trying to be mean (mean), baby (tryin’ to be mean)
If you ain’t glad I’m leaving, girl you know you oughta be (oughta be, girl you oughta be)
Well if you ain’t glad I’m leaving, girl you know you oughta be (oughta be, girl you oughta be)
If you ask me why I’m goin’, tell you when it’s needed
More than you know I could never be what you need
If you ain’t glad I’m leaving, girl you know you oughta be
‘Cause I lie I cheat I gamble, and I steal from many men
Where from Georgia to Los Angelos, Texas up to Maine
I’m a wanted man
Is that the kind of life you want to live (wanna live), baby?
(Life you wanna live)
If you ain’t glad I’m leaving, well you know you oughta be
So what’s a girl like you, want a man like me (like me, man like me)
Never know what I’m gonna do, if you never know where I’ll be (I’ll be, where I’ll be)
Now I know right now, baby, though it might seem wrong (seem wrong), yeah (might seem wrong)
But you don’t wake up in the morning, thanking to your Heavens that I’m gone
Well I’m so good, don’t take it too bad, ain’t nothing you could do
Well I ever fall in love and, keep it on the move
It’s just my way. I ain’t trying to be mean (mean), baby (tryin’ to be mean)
If you ain’t glad I’m leaving, girl you know you oughta be (oughta be, girl you oughta be)
Well if you ain’t glad I’m leaving, girl you know you oughta be (oughta be, girl you oughta be)
Lyrics submitted by Castle742
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