"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 river of death lies just before me
Can I find a place that I can cross
Or will I be in sin forever
Oh Lord don't let my soul be lost
Oh I wanna walk with Christ my savior
For he's the one that'll guide me on
All through my life I've been a sinner
Now I'm right with God so I'm travelling home
Oh I can hear my savior calling
To me his voice sounds sweet and low
For me I hear my loved ones cheering
Oh, praise the Lord I'm ready to go
My life down here will soon be over
And this old world holds nothing for me
He saved my soul and He made me happy
That beautiful land I'm going to see
Can I find a place that I can cross
Or will I be in sin forever
Oh Lord don't let my soul be lost
Oh I wanna walk with Christ my savior
For he's the one that'll guide me on
All through my life I've been a sinner
Now I'm right with God so I'm travelling home
Oh I can hear my savior calling
To me his voice sounds sweet and low
For me I hear my loved ones cheering
Oh, praise the Lord I'm ready to go
My life down here will soon be over
And this old world holds nothing for me
He saved my soul and He made me happy
That beautiful land I'm going to see
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
River of Death Lyrics as written by Bill Monroe
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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