"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.
It's only common sense so please don't take offense
I gotta say what's on my mind
'Cause all this bitterness has made me second-guess
And I've waited all my life
You know it's true, it isn't me, it isn't you
I can't be your man
But here's what I don't understand
If I can't live without you
But I can't breathe when I'm with you
What are we really doing here?
I don't wanna live without you
But God only knows what I've been through
'Cause dying is all we're doing here
You leave me suffering 'til I can't feel a thing
It's all I got when I want more
If I waste one more day then they can take me away
'Cause it'll be worse than it was before
You know it's true, it isn't me, it isn't you
I can't be your man
But here's what I don't understand
If I can't live without you
But I can't breathe when I'm with you
What are we really doing here?
I don't wanna live without you
But God only knows what I've been through
'Cause dying is all we're doing here
If I can't live without you
But I can't breathe when I'm with you
What are we really doing here?
I don't wanna live without you
But God only knows what I've been through
'Cause dying is all we're doing here
Oh, if I can't live without you
But I can't breathe when I'm with you
What are we really doing, what are we really doing here?
I don't wanna live without you, I don't wanna live without you
'Cause dying is all we're doing here
I gotta say what's on my mind
'Cause all this bitterness has made me second-guess
And I've waited all my life
You know it's true, it isn't me, it isn't you
I can't be your man
But here's what I don't understand
If I can't live without you
But I can't breathe when I'm with you
What are we really doing here?
I don't wanna live without you
But God only knows what I've been through
'Cause dying is all we're doing here
You leave me suffering 'til I can't feel a thing
It's all I got when I want more
If I waste one more day then they can take me away
'Cause it'll be worse than it was before
You know it's true, it isn't me, it isn't you
I can't be your man
But here's what I don't understand
If I can't live without you
But I can't breathe when I'm with you
What are we really doing here?
I don't wanna live without you
But God only knows what I've been through
'Cause dying is all we're doing here
If I can't live without you
But I can't breathe when I'm with you
What are we really doing here?
I don't wanna live without you
But God only knows what I've been through
'Cause dying is all we're doing here
Oh, if I can't live without you
But I can't breathe when I'm with you
What are we really doing, what are we really doing here?
I don't wanna live without you, I don't wanna live without you
'Cause dying is all we're doing here
Lyrics submitted by BipolarRoyalty
Dying Lyrics as written by James Root Corey Taylor
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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This song perfectly illustrates my last relationship every last word was written just perfectly as badly as i wanted to be with her and loved her she had lied to me too much and hurt me too much and i tried getting over it, and although it was possible maybe even probable that she had changed i was still too hurt and had to force myself to move on