"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, the path was deep and wide from footsteps leading to our cabin
Above the door, there burned a scarlet lamp
And late at night a hand would knock and there would stand a stranger
Yes, I'm the son of Hickory Holler's tramp
The corn was dry and the weeds were high when Daddy took to drinking
Him and Lucy Walker, they took up and ran away
Mama cried a tear and then she promised fourteen children
I swear you'll never see a hungry day
When Mama sacrificed her pride, the neighbors started talkin'
But I was much too young to understand the things they said
The thing that mattered most of all was Mama's chicken dumplings
And a goodnight kiss before we went to bed
Oh, the path was deep and wide from footsteps leading to our cabin
Above the door there burned a scarlet lamp
And late at night a hand would knock and there would stand a stranger
Yes, I'm the son of Hickory Holler's tramp
When Daddy left then destitution came upon our family
Not one neighbor volunteered to give a helping hand
So let them gossip all they want, she loved us and she raised us
The truth is standing here, the full grown man
Last summer Mama passed away and left the ones who loved her
Each and every one is more than grateful for their birth
Each Sunday she receives the fresh bouquet of fourteen roses
And a card that reads, 'The greatest Mom on earth'
Oh, the path was deep and wide from footsteps leading to our cabin
Above the door there burned a scarlet lamp
And late at night a hand would knock and there would stand a stranger
Yes, I'm the son of Hickory Holler's tramp
Yeah, I'm the son of Hickory Holler's tramp
Above the door, there burned a scarlet lamp
And late at night a hand would knock and there would stand a stranger
Yes, I'm the son of Hickory Holler's tramp
The corn was dry and the weeds were high when Daddy took to drinking
Him and Lucy Walker, they took up and ran away
Mama cried a tear and then she promised fourteen children
I swear you'll never see a hungry day
When Mama sacrificed her pride, the neighbors started talkin'
But I was much too young to understand the things they said
The thing that mattered most of all was Mama's chicken dumplings
And a goodnight kiss before we went to bed
Oh, the path was deep and wide from footsteps leading to our cabin
Above the door there burned a scarlet lamp
And late at night a hand would knock and there would stand a stranger
Yes, I'm the son of Hickory Holler's tramp
When Daddy left then destitution came upon our family
Not one neighbor volunteered to give a helping hand
So let them gossip all they want, she loved us and she raised us
The truth is standing here, the full grown man
Last summer Mama passed away and left the ones who loved her
Each and every one is more than grateful for their birth
Each Sunday she receives the fresh bouquet of fourteen roses
And a card that reads, 'The greatest Mom on earth'
Oh, the path was deep and wide from footsteps leading to our cabin
Above the door there burned a scarlet lamp
And late at night a hand would knock and there would stand a stranger
Yes, I'm the son of Hickory Holler's tramp
Yeah, I'm the son of Hickory Holler's tramp
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp Lyrics as written by Dallas Frazier
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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