"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.
So here's the deal for you and me
I've worked it out oh so carefully
It's all about two people who
Will only do what they want to do
And though nobody else has yet succeeded
We could be the first to get what we both need
Without a compromise
We won't expect too much
“It's optional” will be our mantra
Forget that couple stuff
We're giving nothing up
And getting what we want
Traditional is out of date
The perfect match and the soul mate
The time is here to blaze a trail
If things get weird we can always bail
There'll be no need to keep our best intentions
We'll dispose of all those moldy old conventions
We won't expect a lot
Commitment-free will be our motto
We'll go with what we've got
We're giving nothing up
And giving it a shot
Oh should we find emotion creeping in
We'll deal with it then
(Instr.)
The odds predict that one in two will split
So what the hell?
We won't expect too much
“It's optional” will be our mantra
Forget that couple stuff
Forget about love
That's the deal
It's optional
I've worked it out oh so carefully
It's all about two people who
Will only do what they want to do
And though nobody else has yet succeeded
We could be the first to get what we both need
Without a compromise
We won't expect too much
“It's optional” will be our mantra
Forget that couple stuff
We're giving nothing up
And getting what we want
Traditional is out of date
The perfect match and the soul mate
The time is here to blaze a trail
If things get weird we can always bail
There'll be no need to keep our best intentions
We'll dispose of all those moldy old conventions
We won't expect a lot
Commitment-free will be our motto
We'll go with what we've got
We're giving nothing up
And giving it a shot
Oh should we find emotion creeping in
We'll deal with it then
(Instr.)
The odds predict that one in two will split
So what the hell?
We won't expect too much
“It's optional” will be our mantra
Forget that couple stuff
Forget about love
That's the deal
It's optional
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Deal Lyrics as written by Bill Demain Amy Rigby
Lyrics © DEMI MUSIC CORP. D/B/A LICHELLE MUSIC COMPANY, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
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