"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.
Oh, oh, oh
Well now this could be the last of all the rides we take
So hold on tight and don't look back
We don't care about the message
Or the rules they make
I'll find you when the sun goes black
And you only live forever in the lights you make
When we were young
We used to say
That you only hear the music when your heart begins to break
Now we are the kids from yesterday
Oh, oh
All the cameras watch the accidents and stars you hate
They only care if you can bleed
Does the television make you feel the pills you ate
Or every person that you need to be?
'Cause you only live forever in the lights you make
When we were young
We used to say
That you only hear the music when your heart begins to break
Now we are the kids from yesterday
(Yeah)
Today
Today
We are the kids from yesterday
Today
(Today) here we are (today) and we won't stop breathing
(Today) yell it out 'til your (today) heart stops beating
We are the kids from yesterday
Today
'Cause you only live forever in the lights you make
When we were young
We used to say
That you only hear the music when your heart begins to break
Now we are the kids from yesterday (oh)
We are the kids from yesterday (oh)
We are the kids from yesterday (oh)
We are the kids from yesterday (oh)
Today
Today
Well now this could be the last of all the rides we take
So hold on tight and don't look back
We don't care about the message
Or the rules they make
I'll find you when the sun goes black
And you only live forever in the lights you make
When we were young
We used to say
That you only hear the music when your heart begins to break
Now we are the kids from yesterday
Oh, oh
All the cameras watch the accidents and stars you hate
They only care if you can bleed
Does the television make you feel the pills you ate
Or every person that you need to be?
'Cause you only live forever in the lights you make
When we were young
We used to say
That you only hear the music when your heart begins to break
Now we are the kids from yesterday
(Yeah)
Today
Today
We are the kids from yesterday
Today
(Today) here we are (today) and we won't stop breathing
(Today) yell it out 'til your (today) heart stops beating
We are the kids from yesterday
Today
'Cause you only live forever in the lights you make
When we were young
We used to say
That you only hear the music when your heart begins to break
Now we are the kids from yesterday (oh)
We are the kids from yesterday (oh)
We are the kids from yesterday (oh)
We are the kids from yesterday (oh)
Today
Today
Lyrics submitted by Fayiirah, edited by SmashingDestiny
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Fast Car
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Favorite song on the album so far, along with "Na Na Na" and "Save Yourself, I'll Hold 'Em Back."
Since this seems to be a concept album...well, it obviously ties into the story of the Killjoys, but I'm not sure how. Anyone else have any ideas?