"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.
Johnny the Fox he called to Jimmy the Weed
He said "Hey man, I know your name"
I seen you cruising with the low riders
Hanging out down on First street and Main
Tuned into and listen to the voodoo Rhythm Devils
Around the Bay
They've got some crazy DJs
Send you right out to heaven
Jimmy the Weed for greed was taken aback
Johnny the Fox you old sly cat
Cleverly the Fox concealed his stash
Crisp dollar bills leave no tracks
In the back of a black cadillac
The voodoo music travels
Down Skid Row only black men can go
The shady deal unravels
Johnny the Fox, hot to hustle
Jimmy the Weed won't use no muscle
that cat's so sly, slick and subtle
Johnny the Fox breaks out the bottle
Tuned into and listening to
The voodoo music travels
The beating drum for the lonely one
Sends you out to heaven
He said "Hey man, I know your name"
I seen you cruising with the low riders
Hanging out down on First street and Main
Tuned into and listen to the voodoo Rhythm Devils
Around the Bay
They've got some crazy DJs
Send you right out to heaven
Jimmy the Weed for greed was taken aback
Johnny the Fox you old sly cat
Cleverly the Fox concealed his stash
Crisp dollar bills leave no tracks
In the back of a black cadillac
The voodoo music travels
Down Skid Row only black men can go
The shady deal unravels
Johnny the Fox, hot to hustle
Jimmy the Weed won't use no muscle
that cat's so sly, slick and subtle
Johnny the Fox breaks out the bottle
Tuned into and listening to
The voodoo music travels
The beating drum for the lonely one
Sends you out to heaven
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed Lyrics as written by Philip Parris Lynott Brian Michael Downey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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@MrWillow Yes, it is about Jimmy the Weed, a famous Manchester mobster and Johnny the Fox, the head of the Chicago mob in the USA. About Johnny Torrio (also called as Johnny the Fox because he was so sly) it was noted that he might have been the most brilliant mastermind in the whole American mob scene. Not in morals but in talent.