"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.
This van, our van is getting way too small
I can't find a good place in here to fall
Help me, help you, answer the call
Stay true to why we started it all
This is the part of me I wish you could not see
This is the hardest part of life on the big screen
I'm not, we're not who you want us to be
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop looking at me
Tonight I wish I was alone, highway 76
I'd feel better about myself not watching over you
This is the life I choose, don't let me off on an excuse
You follow me, I'll follow you
I can't believe, can't believe how long it?s been
Since we sold everything and left our friends
Do you know, do you know
I would never change anything?
For all the promises we didn't keep
For all the finish lines we didn't reach
Somehow, someway I know we'll make it
Become what we believe
Tonight I wish I was alone, highway 76
I'd feel better about myself not watching over you
This is the life I choose
Who's to say it's not the end
Our final record, final breath
With one last day is that all you would say?
I'm so afraid of living
When I'm unaware and unprepared
There's so much left to say
But when we stand before the Son of Man
Will we hang our heads, will He understand?
When it's all been said and done, was our race well run?
Tonight I wish I was with you
Tonight I'm headed home
Ready for another day, to become what I believe
This is the life I choose
I can't find a good place in here to fall
Help me, help you, answer the call
Stay true to why we started it all
This is the part of me I wish you could not see
This is the hardest part of life on the big screen
I'm not, we're not who you want us to be
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop looking at me
Tonight I wish I was alone, highway 76
I'd feel better about myself not watching over you
This is the life I choose, don't let me off on an excuse
You follow me, I'll follow you
I can't believe, can't believe how long it?s been
Since we sold everything and left our friends
Do you know, do you know
I would never change anything?
For all the promises we didn't keep
For all the finish lines we didn't reach
Somehow, someway I know we'll make it
Become what we believe
Tonight I wish I was alone, highway 76
I'd feel better about myself not watching over you
This is the life I choose
Who's to say it's not the end
Our final record, final breath
With one last day is that all you would say?
I'm so afraid of living
When I'm unaware and unprepared
There's so much left to say
But when we stand before the Son of Man
Will we hang our heads, will He understand?
When it's all been said and done, was our race well run?
Tonight I wish I was with you
Tonight I'm headed home
Ready for another day, to become what I believe
This is the life I choose
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Fast Car
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