"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.
St. Louis woman
With your diamond rings
St. Louis man
You just
You just don't mean a thing
You came a long way from St. Louis
You climbed the ladder of success
I've seen the town and country cars
Parked out in front of yo' fancy address, baby
You came a long way from St. Louis
You broke a lotta hearts between
I met a gang of gloomy girls, who were doing alright
Until ya came on the scene, my baby
(Huh)
You blew in from the Middle West
Certainly impressed the population hereabouts
Now listen
I got news for you, I'm from Missouri too
So naturally I got my doubts
You got 'em dropping by the wayside
A feeling I ain't gonna know
You came a long way from St. Louis
And you still got a long way to go
Yeah, yeah, yeah, hoo
St. Louis woman
With your diamond rings (now listen)
St. Louis man
You just
You just don't mean a thing
You blew in from the Middle West
And certainly impressed the population hereabouts, yeah
Well baby
I got news for you, I'm from Missouri too
Naturally I got my doubts
You got 'em dropping by the wayside, yeah
A feeling I ain't gonna know
You came a long way from St. Louis, but baby
And you got a long way to go
You came a long way
You got a long way to go
Get yo' hat and get yo' coat, my man
Go on back to St. Louis
Gon' back Mary
I'm not gonna take my tie
With your diamond rings
St. Louis man
You just
You just don't mean a thing
You came a long way from St. Louis
You climbed the ladder of success
I've seen the town and country cars
Parked out in front of yo' fancy address, baby
You came a long way from St. Louis
You broke a lotta hearts between
I met a gang of gloomy girls, who were doing alright
Until ya came on the scene, my baby
(Huh)
You blew in from the Middle West
Certainly impressed the population hereabouts
Now listen
I got news for you, I'm from Missouri too
So naturally I got my doubts
You got 'em dropping by the wayside
A feeling I ain't gonna know
You came a long way from St. Louis
And you still got a long way to go
Yeah, yeah, yeah, hoo
St. Louis woman
With your diamond rings (now listen)
St. Louis man
You just
You just don't mean a thing
You blew in from the Middle West
And certainly impressed the population hereabouts, yeah
Well baby
I got news for you, I'm from Missouri too
Naturally I got my doubts
You got 'em dropping by the wayside, yeah
A feeling I ain't gonna know
You came a long way from St. Louis, but baby
And you got a long way to go
You came a long way
You got a long way to go
Get yo' hat and get yo' coat, my man
Go on back to St. Louis
Gon' back Mary
I'm not gonna take my tie
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
You Came a Long Way from St. Louis Lyrics as written by Sidney Keith Russell John Benson Brooks
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Kanjian Music, Royalty Network
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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