"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.
God bless America
Carter, are you prepared to take the constitutional oath?
I am
Would you place your left hand on the Bible
And raise your right hand and repeat after me, I
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
Sitting on the world, I got life in my hand
So these days I try to think twice when I can
Money on my mind, as God as my witness
Love don't live here and it don't even visit
I do this for my Uptown politicians
Walked in the kitchen and found a pot to piss in
Niggas ain't satisfied until their mama missin'
Niggas ain't satisfied until their mama miss 'em
Uh, I'm a monster, exorcisms
Tote tools like mechanics, mechanisms
Uh, detrimental on any instrumental
I say you rappers sweet, I pay the incidentals
I'm beneficial, I've been official
I say you rappers sweet, tiramisu, haha
I like my short cake shorter
Ain't no motherfucker harder than (I)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (uh)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (uh)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (uh)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (uh)
Nobody gives you a chance, you gotta take chances
Your family tree, I will break branches
'Cause I don't give a fuck, I put the ass in assassin
Smoke you like a blunt, then it's ashes to ashes
The future is born, put the past in the casket
If real shit is dead, then nigga, I'm a bastard
Uh, appetite for disaster
I want a full plate, then another plate after
Uh, yesterday just died
Tomorrow never cried, the days of our lives
When shit get deep I'm never afraid to dive
Let the money pile up until I'm buried alive
Ask who the fuck want it, I bring it to your doorbell
Have niggas in your yard like a yard sale
Smoking weed, getting head in the oval office
I changed the stars on the flag into crosses (I)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (Amen)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (so now)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (instead of pledge)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (we pray, yeah)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (ahem)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (yeah, uh)
You're dead to me, brown grass nigga
I just stand still and let the ground pass, nigga
Bullshit for lunch, brown bag, nigga
Reality's a bitch and I'mma dance with her
140 pounds, 5'6" from the ground
Bitch, I'm in the building, you ain't even in the lounge
I tried to fuck the world and couldn't even get aroused
I ain't looking for the beef, but I ain't seen it in a while
Uh, and we all want world peace
Murder show, I give your ass good seats
Shit, I'm much more than a good speech
Ahem
Gorillas in suits
The holy war, the spiritual troops
Fighting over the mythical truth
Drowning in the political soup
They shoot missiles and nukes
Taking out such a pivotal group
The body count is the physical proof
And they thought drugs were killing the youth, hahaha
Thank you, thank you all (thank you all)
I am President Carter
Carter, are you prepared to take the constitutional oath?
I am
Would you place your left hand on the Bible
And raise your right hand and repeat after me, I
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
Sitting on the world, I got life in my hand
So these days I try to think twice when I can
Money on my mind, as God as my witness
Love don't live here and it don't even visit
I do this for my Uptown politicians
Walked in the kitchen and found a pot to piss in
Niggas ain't satisfied until their mama missin'
Niggas ain't satisfied until their mama miss 'em
Uh, I'm a monster, exorcisms
Tote tools like mechanics, mechanisms
Uh, detrimental on any instrumental
I say you rappers sweet, I pay the incidentals
I'm beneficial, I've been official
I say you rappers sweet, tiramisu, haha
I like my short cake shorter
Ain't no motherfucker harder than (I)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (uh)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (uh)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (uh)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (uh)
Nobody gives you a chance, you gotta take chances
Your family tree, I will break branches
'Cause I don't give a fuck, I put the ass in assassin
Smoke you like a blunt, then it's ashes to ashes
The future is born, put the past in the casket
If real shit is dead, then nigga, I'm a bastard
Uh, appetite for disaster
I want a full plate, then another plate after
Uh, yesterday just died
Tomorrow never cried, the days of our lives
When shit get deep I'm never afraid to dive
Let the money pile up until I'm buried alive
Ask who the fuck want it, I bring it to your doorbell
Have niggas in your yard like a yard sale
Smoking weed, getting head in the oval office
I changed the stars on the flag into crosses (I)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (Amen)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (so now)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (instead of pledge)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (we pray, yeah)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (ahem)
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter
President Carter, Pre-President Carter (yeah, uh)
You're dead to me, brown grass nigga
I just stand still and let the ground pass, nigga
Bullshit for lunch, brown bag, nigga
Reality's a bitch and I'mma dance with her
140 pounds, 5'6" from the ground
Bitch, I'm in the building, you ain't even in the lounge
I tried to fuck the world and couldn't even get aroused
I ain't looking for the beef, but I ain't seen it in a while
Uh, and we all want world peace
Murder show, I give your ass good seats
Shit, I'm much more than a good speech
Ahem
Gorillas in suits
The holy war, the spiritual troops
Fighting over the mythical truth
Drowning in the political soup
They shoot missiles and nukes
Taking out such a pivotal group
The body count is the physical proof
And they thought drugs were killing the youth, hahaha
Thank you, thank you all (thank you all)
I am President Carter
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