"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.
The time has come to lead the charge
And I don't want to pray.
Our dreams that once were full of life
Now lie here in the fray.
It's all for king and country, yes.
I know just who I am.
My heart lies in the valley,
My soul rides with the damned.
[Chorus]
How will they remember me?
Ellie can you tell?
The one who swore the traitors' oath,
The poet mad as Hell.
And will they fly the Hero's Flag?
Or know just where I fall?
Ellie, don't you wonder what's this about at all?
And all I want is to feel your breath
So warm against my skin
Your lips so close
That I can't breathe
Or take this madness in.
Ellie, when I close my eyes,
You're in my every night.
Knowing that I love you
Somehow makes it worth the fight.
[Chorus]
And little did they know that day
I cried the mourner's tears
You held me in your ghostly arms
And took away my fears
Ellie, can you hear in now
The blackbird's last refrain.
Hush, I think it's calling us
Back to the hills of Slane.
[Chorus]
And I don't want to pray.
Our dreams that once were full of life
Now lie here in the fray.
It's all for king and country, yes.
I know just who I am.
My heart lies in the valley,
My soul rides with the damned.
[Chorus]
How will they remember me?
Ellie can you tell?
The one who swore the traitors' oath,
The poet mad as Hell.
And will they fly the Hero's Flag?
Or know just where I fall?
Ellie, don't you wonder what's this about at all?
And all I want is to feel your breath
So warm against my skin
Your lips so close
That I can't breathe
Or take this madness in.
Ellie, when I close my eyes,
You're in my every night.
Knowing that I love you
Somehow makes it worth the fight.
[Chorus]
And little did they know that day
I cried the mourner's tears
You held me in your ghostly arms
And took away my fears
Ellie, can you hear in now
The blackbird's last refrain.
Hush, I think it's calling us
Back to the hills of Slane.
[Chorus]
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Ellie Lyrics as written by Margaret Byrne Brian Byrne
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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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,
Just A Little Lovin'
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