"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.
Don’t forget how beautiful the night is when everything is quiet…
We take for granted the sun when it shines down. You would think we’re dying.
We can’t replace the smile of a stranger, and how innocent it can be.
Cough cough cough the air is really choking; we’ve ruined how we breathe.
Two men on one side, they just don’t know it yet.
We all want to fresh air to breathe and live in harmony.
Put down your weapons.
How can we allow this to ensue on our mother earth?
We only have one shot so don’t blow us up.
Don’t forget how beautiful the night is when everything is quiet…
We take for granted the sun when it shines down. You would think we’re dying.
We can’t replace the smile of a stranger, and how innocent it can be.
Cough cough cough the air is really choking; we’ve ruined how we breathe.
Did you know that your money is worthless if all this disappeared and slid into the ocean,
where all we’d have was each other to hold until we drowned.
Our lasting moments will be our loved ones descending into the sea.
Isn’t it glorious to feel the wind of a thousand doves?
The less you know, the more you can enjoy a love
Don’t forget how beautiful the night is when everything is quiet…
We take for granted the sun when it shines down. You would think we’re dying.
We can’t replace the smile of a stranger, and how innocent it can be.
Cough cough cough the air is really choking; we’ve ruined how we breathe.
Never drive when you’ve had a fight. Make love because you aren’t ashamed.
Don’t forget how beautiful the night is when everything is quiet…
We take for granted the sun when it shines down. You would think we’re dying.
We can’t replace the smile of a stranger, and how innocent it can be.
Cough cough cough the air is really choking; we’ve ruined how we breathe.
We take for granted the sun when it shines down. You would think we’re dying.
We can’t replace the smile of a stranger, and how innocent it can be.
Cough cough cough the air is really choking; we’ve ruined how we breathe.
Two men on one side, they just don’t know it yet.
We all want to fresh air to breathe and live in harmony.
Put down your weapons.
How can we allow this to ensue on our mother earth?
We only have one shot so don’t blow us up.
Don’t forget how beautiful the night is when everything is quiet…
We take for granted the sun when it shines down. You would think we’re dying.
We can’t replace the smile of a stranger, and how innocent it can be.
Cough cough cough the air is really choking; we’ve ruined how we breathe.
Did you know that your money is worthless if all this disappeared and slid into the ocean,
where all we’d have was each other to hold until we drowned.
Our lasting moments will be our loved ones descending into the sea.
Isn’t it glorious to feel the wind of a thousand doves?
The less you know, the more you can enjoy a love
Don’t forget how beautiful the night is when everything is quiet…
We take for granted the sun when it shines down. You would think we’re dying.
We can’t replace the smile of a stranger, and how innocent it can be.
Cough cough cough the air is really choking; we’ve ruined how we breathe.
Never drive when you’ve had a fight. Make love because you aren’t ashamed.
Don’t forget how beautiful the night is when everything is quiet…
We take for granted the sun when it shines down. You would think we’re dying.
We can’t replace the smile of a stranger, and how innocent it can be.
Cough cough cough the air is really choking; we’ve ruined how we breathe.
Lyrics submitted by gnarliestbushman
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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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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