"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.
Baby, can I talk to you for a minute?
Ohhh...
Ohh...
Listen...
Boy, you had me fooled
I can't believe you
'Cause' you never done anything that I asked of you
Always talking like I just can't do right
Blaming me for everything and that just ain't right
'Cause I...
[Chorus:]
'Cause I can't do this alone (I don't know what to do)
Alone(I'm tryna stay with you)
It's not all about you (Ohhh)
Boy, I can't do this alone (You're making this harder)
Alone (Boy, I'm 'bout to leave ya)
(Cuz I can't do this alone)
Alone...
Alone...
Alone
And I gave you everything I had
Yeah
And I never said nothing
Did everything for you
What did you do?
Nothing
Then you got the nerve to wanna run your mouth
Like I ain't never held you down
Baby, what did I do to deserve this?
'Cause' I put you on a shelf
Girl, I need help
'Cause' I can't do this alone, baby
[Chorus:]
And I tried to work this out(I'm tryna work this out)
But boy you're changing now (Oh, you're changing now)
What do I do? (What do I do?)
I'm so confused (I'm so confused, baby)
(And I tried to work this out)
I tried it all
(But girl, you're changing now)
So did I
(What do I do?)
What do I do?
(I'm so confused)
What do I do?
I can't do this alone
[Chorus: Repeat 2X]
I don't know what to do
'Cause' boy I'm so tired of you
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ohh...
Oh, said I don't know what to do
Ohh...
Girl, I'm so tired of you
Do what you gotta do
'Cause I, I can't do this alone
[Chorus:]
Said I can't do this alone.
Said I can't do this alone.
Said I tried everything.
I've done everything.
Ohh, what we gonna do baby?
Ohhh...
Ohh...
Listen...
Boy, you had me fooled
I can't believe you
'Cause' you never done anything that I asked of you
Always talking like I just can't do right
Blaming me for everything and that just ain't right
'Cause I...
[Chorus:]
'Cause I can't do this alone (I don't know what to do)
Alone(I'm tryna stay with you)
It's not all about you (Ohhh)
Boy, I can't do this alone (You're making this harder)
Alone (Boy, I'm 'bout to leave ya)
(Cuz I can't do this alone)
Alone...
Alone...
Alone
And I gave you everything I had
Yeah
And I never said nothing
Did everything for you
What did you do?
Nothing
Then you got the nerve to wanna run your mouth
Like I ain't never held you down
Baby, what did I do to deserve this?
'Cause' I put you on a shelf
Girl, I need help
'Cause' I can't do this alone, baby
[Chorus:]
And I tried to work this out(I'm tryna work this out)
But boy you're changing now (Oh, you're changing now)
What do I do? (What do I do?)
I'm so confused (I'm so confused, baby)
(And I tried to work this out)
I tried it all
(But girl, you're changing now)
So did I
(What do I do?)
What do I do?
(I'm so confused)
What do I do?
I can't do this alone
[Chorus: Repeat 2X]
I don't know what to do
'Cause' boy I'm so tired of you
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Ohh...
Oh, said I don't know what to do
Ohh...
Girl, I'm so tired of you
Do what you gotta do
'Cause I, I can't do this alone
[Chorus:]
Said I can't do this alone.
Said I can't do this alone.
Said I tried everything.
I've done everything.
Ohh, what we gonna do baby?
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Alone Lyrics as written by Ledisi Anibade Young Carvin Haggins
Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, Sentric Music, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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