"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 don't know what to say to keep you hanging on
let's just talk for a while about the things that matter most
it's in these times that it seems we're getting close
you know what you mean to me at least that's what i hope
oh dear old dad
don't you dare regret a thing
your precious heart
is the best there ever been for me
and you stayed strong for me to make me do the most
on the funeral for the last one of the both
but in the end we both know that's how it goes
it will be the same for me
with the ones that matter most
oh dear old dad
don't you dare regret a thing
your precious heart
is the best there ever been for me
let's just talk for a while about the things that matter most
it's in these times that it seems we're getting close
you know what you mean to me at least that's what i hope
oh dear old dad
don't you dare regret a thing
your precious heart
is the best there ever been for me
and you stayed strong for me to make me do the most
on the funeral for the last one of the both
but in the end we both know that's how it goes
it will be the same for me
with the ones that matter most
oh dear old dad
don't you dare regret a thing
your precious heart
is the best there ever been for me
Lyrics submitted by blinxbcr
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