"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.
Well, I say bless the man that reveal all the truth you know
Unto this generation
Those with them eye and has never over-stand
Oh children, Babylon build them cities
And break their own laws
So long you've been amongst them
Yet they didn't teach you that the fools get caught
So take us to the place where
Justice embedded in our heart, truly ours
Etiopia he was born there
Emperor Selassie I they all fail to adore
Oh judgement
We the people must be true to ourself
Stoop to brutality, you perish and melt
Aware them have fi hide
What make them don't want fi help ?
The children going idly having no strength
Our duty is to teach
So you make it frequent
You no beat upon your shoulders
Here come the judgement
Can not be going that way
Killing yourself, what's the sense ?
Them young, tell them get the teaching from the high sense
Oh children, Babylon build them cities
And break their own laws
So long you've been amongst them
Yet they didn't teach you that the fools get caught
So take us to the place where
Justice embedded in our heart, truly ours
Etiopia he was born there
Emperor Selassie I they all fail to adore
Firing guns becomes disobedient
They know not from whence they came, so they rebel against
Babylon set it so, building them bridges and fence
That they may support them so-called government
Them instigate the downfall of Jah righteous children
Remind them that slavery was not an accident
In return they kill my brothers and my parents
Repatriation, bless how give them all the strength
Africa we deh come, so me hear the high sense
Mother Nature made us in the natural essence
Emperor Selassie I him rule all events
We don't care if them intelligence
Oh now
Oh children, Babylon build them cities
And break their own laws
So long you've been amongst them
Yet they didn't teach you that the fools get caught
So take us to the place where
Justice embedded in our heart, truly ours
Etiopia he was born there
Emperor Selassie I they all fail to adore
I and I have the foundation of the earth
Never been thirst
Black people
Now I tell you to stand
While you cease to be
And let them come and dish your dirt
Oh no they have lost their way
Because their desire was for fame and greed
I tell you now all tongue haffi go tell
Oh yes, all wicked man down on their knees
But now
Oh children, Babylon build them cities
And break their own laws
So long you've been amongst them
Yet they didn't teach you that the fools get caught
So take us to the place where
Justice embedded in our heart, truly ours
Etiopia he was born there
Emperor Selassie I they all fail to adore
Oh judgement
We the people must be true to ourself
Stoop to brutality, you perish and melt
Aware them have fi hide
What make them don't want fi help ?
The children going idly having no strength
Our duty is to teach
So you make it frequent
You no beat upon your shoulders
Here come the judgement
Can not be going that way
Killing yourself, what's the sense ?
Them young, tell them get the teaching from the high sense
Oh children, Babylon build them cities
And break their own laws
So long you've been amongst them
Yet they didn't teach you that the fools get caught
So take us to the place where
Justice embedded in our heart, truly ours
Etiopia he was born there
Emperor Selassie I they all fail to adore
Unto this generation
Those with them eye and has never over-stand
Oh children, Babylon build them cities
And break their own laws
So long you've been amongst them
Yet they didn't teach you that the fools get caught
So take us to the place where
Justice embedded in our heart, truly ours
Etiopia he was born there
Emperor Selassie I they all fail to adore
Oh judgement
We the people must be true to ourself
Stoop to brutality, you perish and melt
Aware them have fi hide
What make them don't want fi help ?
The children going idly having no strength
Our duty is to teach
So you make it frequent
You no beat upon your shoulders
Here come the judgement
Can not be going that way
Killing yourself, what's the sense ?
Them young, tell them get the teaching from the high sense
Oh children, Babylon build them cities
And break their own laws
So long you've been amongst them
Yet they didn't teach you that the fools get caught
So take us to the place where
Justice embedded in our heart, truly ours
Etiopia he was born there
Emperor Selassie I they all fail to adore
Firing guns becomes disobedient
They know not from whence they came, so they rebel against
Babylon set it so, building them bridges and fence
That they may support them so-called government
Them instigate the downfall of Jah righteous children
Remind them that slavery was not an accident
In return they kill my brothers and my parents
Repatriation, bless how give them all the strength
Africa we deh come, so me hear the high sense
Mother Nature made us in the natural essence
Emperor Selassie I him rule all events
We don't care if them intelligence
Oh now
Oh children, Babylon build them cities
And break their own laws
So long you've been amongst them
Yet they didn't teach you that the fools get caught
So take us to the place where
Justice embedded in our heart, truly ours
Etiopia he was born there
Emperor Selassie I they all fail to adore
I and I have the foundation of the earth
Never been thirst
Black people
Now I tell you to stand
While you cease to be
And let them come and dish your dirt
Oh no they have lost their way
Because their desire was for fame and greed
I tell you now all tongue haffi go tell
Oh yes, all wicked man down on their knees
But now
Oh children, Babylon build them cities
And break their own laws
So long you've been amongst them
Yet they didn't teach you that the fools get caught
So take us to the place where
Justice embedded in our heart, truly ours
Etiopia he was born there
Emperor Selassie I they all fail to adore
Oh judgement
We the people must be true to ourself
Stoop to brutality, you perish and melt
Aware them have fi hide
What make them don't want fi help ?
The children going idly having no strength
Our duty is to teach
So you make it frequent
You no beat upon your shoulders
Here come the judgement
Can not be going that way
Killing yourself, what's the sense ?
Them young, tell them get the teaching from the high sense
Oh children, Babylon build them cities
And break their own laws
So long you've been amongst them
Yet they didn't teach you that the fools get caught
So take us to the place where
Justice embedded in our heart, truly ours
Etiopia he was born there
Emperor Selassie I they all fail to adore
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Oh Children Lyrics as written by Lowell Dunbar Donald Dennis
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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