"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.
I'll never forget the first time that I saw you cry
In the back of a cab, headed home at the end of the night
Sad in a sin, sad in a sin
What could I do to get her out of this?
Well I am, I am now that one
I am now that one
Some would say that certain thoughts dissolve into complaints
I harbor them for so long, they distort my expressions,
Get out from inside, out from inside
Sooner or later you'll have to realize
That I am, I am now that one
Cause I cant have more than you would want
Not at all what she does
Cause theres no comparison, no reason for frustration
Let us have it out, girl, let me see her through
Oh there's no comparison, no reason for frustration
Just let us have it out, let me see her through
Let me see her through
This is not, not your fault
Don't feel so vulnerable
I'd give you anything you want
(no comparison, no reason for frustration)
I'd give you anything you want
Give you any, any, anything you want, girl
Any, any, anything you want.
In the back of a cab, headed home at the end of the night
Sad in a sin, sad in a sin
What could I do to get her out of this?
Well I am, I am now that one
I am now that one
Some would say that certain thoughts dissolve into complaints
I harbor them for so long, they distort my expressions,
Get out from inside, out from inside
Sooner or later you'll have to realize
That I am, I am now that one
Cause I cant have more than you would want
Not at all what she does
Cause theres no comparison, no reason for frustration
Let us have it out, girl, let me see her through
Oh there's no comparison, no reason for frustration
Just let us have it out, let me see her through
Let me see her through
This is not, not your fault
Don't feel so vulnerable
I'd give you anything you want
(no comparison, no reason for frustration)
I'd give you anything you want
Give you any, any, anything you want, girl
Any, any, anything you want.
Lyrics submitted by zombieoctopus
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where could one hear this song?
It came on the Ten Years Older EP "Deluxe Package" that he has on his website, it also had the desperate hands demo