"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.
I smell the fragrance
Of your hair
Feel your fingers and your breath
On my skin
When we're here alone like this
A crazy world makes perfect sense
I hear you whisperin' my name
Your kisses leave the sweetest taste
On my lips
When you say 'I love you too'
Soft and tender like you do
I know all m dreams have come true
[Chorus:]
Then I wake up
On the floor beside our bed
Where I sleep
Ever since the night
You left me alone
In this old house
Days go by
But I'm still in love
With who we used to be
Now you're just a precious memory
I can count on every night to hold me tight
Then I wake up
I lay here while the truth sinks in
I'm still alone you're still not here
And we're still through
I remember our last night
Every word right up to goodbye
Slowly I drift off again
I'm saying words I wish I'd said
That night, to you
And you don't drive off in your car
And I don't have a broken heart
And you can't wait to be in my arms
[Chorus:]
I'm still in love
With who we used to be
Now you're just
A precious memory
I can count on every night
To hold me tight
Then I wake up
On the floor
Beside our bed
Where I sleep
Ever since the night
You left me alone
In this old house
Days go by
But I'm still in love
Of your hair
Feel your fingers and your breath
On my skin
When we're here alone like this
A crazy world makes perfect sense
I hear you whisperin' my name
Your kisses leave the sweetest taste
On my lips
When you say 'I love you too'
Soft and tender like you do
I know all m dreams have come true
[Chorus:]
Then I wake up
On the floor beside our bed
Where I sleep
Ever since the night
You left me alone
In this old house
Days go by
But I'm still in love
With who we used to be
Now you're just a precious memory
I can count on every night to hold me tight
Then I wake up
I lay here while the truth sinks in
I'm still alone you're still not here
And we're still through
I remember our last night
Every word right up to goodbye
Slowly I drift off again
I'm saying words I wish I'd said
That night, to you
And you don't drive off in your car
And I don't have a broken heart
And you can't wait to be in my arms
[Chorus:]
I'm still in love
With who we used to be
Now you're just
A precious memory
I can count on every night
To hold me tight
Then I wake up
On the floor
Beside our bed
Where I sleep
Ever since the night
You left me alone
In this old house
Days go by
But I'm still in love
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Then I Wake Up Lyrics as written by Mensy Criswell
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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Yo La Tengo
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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Plastic Bag
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