"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.
Will you comfort me in my time of need
Can you take away the pain of a hurtful deed
Cause when we need it most there's no rain at all
And the dust just settles right there on the feed
Will you say to me a little rain's gonna come
When the sky can't offer none to me
Cause I will come for you
When my days are through
And I'll let your smile just off and carry me
Cause when the calm comes down
I take the truck into town
And buy whatever we can't seem to grow
I work these hands to bleed cause I got my mouths to feed
And I got 15 dollars hid above the stove
Will you say to me a little rain's gonna come
When the sky can't offer none to me
Cause I will come for you
When my days are through
And I'll let your smile just off and carry me
Cause it ain't like it was on back in those days
When everyone would offer up a hand
These old bones are worn
I've grown tired some
And I know my time is surely gonna come
Will you comfort me in my time of need
Can you take away the pain of hurtful deeds
Cause I will comfort you when my days are through
And I'll let your smile just off and carry me
Lord we married young and stayed where we came from
And gave those children everything we had
Will you stay with me in my time of need
Though it seems we had such little time for us
Will you say to me a little rain's gonna come
When the sky can't offer none to me
Cause I will come for you
When my days are through
And I'll let your smile just off and carry me
Can you take away the pain of a hurtful deed
Cause when we need it most there's no rain at all
And the dust just settles right there on the feed
Will you say to me a little rain's gonna come
When the sky can't offer none to me
Cause I will come for you
When my days are through
And I'll let your smile just off and carry me
Cause when the calm comes down
I take the truck into town
And buy whatever we can't seem to grow
I work these hands to bleed cause I got my mouths to feed
And I got 15 dollars hid above the stove
Will you say to me a little rain's gonna come
When the sky can't offer none to me
Cause I will come for you
When my days are through
And I'll let your smile just off and carry me
Cause it ain't like it was on back in those days
When everyone would offer up a hand
These old bones are worn
I've grown tired some
And I know my time is surely gonna come
Will you comfort me in my time of need
Can you take away the pain of hurtful deeds
Cause I will comfort you when my days are through
And I'll let your smile just off and carry me
Lord we married young and stayed where we came from
And gave those children everything we had
Will you stay with me in my time of need
Though it seems we had such little time for us
Will you say to me a little rain's gonna come
When the sky can't offer none to me
Cause I will come for you
When my days are through
And I'll let your smile just off and carry me
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
In My Time of Need Lyrics as written by Ryan Adams
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
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