"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 used to laugh, I used to cry
I used to do everything I wanted to
I don't know when, I don't know why
But somewhere I must have lost that guy I knew
With a drink or two
Any bad excuse would do
I would like to quit my job, take a trip around the world
I would like to live for love, but I'm scared of being hurt
I would do so many things if I just could break the ice
But I'm paralyzed
Where will I be in twenty years
If I cannot change, I just don't wanna know
The days go by, I don't know why
But it's kinda hard to rearrange your life
When your fear's your gloom
Any bad excuse will do
I would like to dive for pearls, but the water's way too deep
I would like to live my dream, but I cannot even sleep
I would like to taste the rain somewhere close to Paradise
But I'm paralyzed
I would like to play guitar, but it's always out of tune
I would like to write a song, but I cannot find a rhyme
I would do so many things; I just have to break the ice
But I'm paralyzed
I used to laugh, I used to cry
I don't know when, I don't know why
Where will I be in twenty years
I don't know, I don't know
I used to do everything I wanted to
I don't know when, I don't know why
But somewhere I must have lost that guy I knew
With a drink or two
Any bad excuse would do
I would like to quit my job, take a trip around the world
I would like to live for love, but I'm scared of being hurt
I would do so many things if I just could break the ice
But I'm paralyzed
Where will I be in twenty years
If I cannot change, I just don't wanna know
The days go by, I don't know why
But it's kinda hard to rearrange your life
When your fear's your gloom
Any bad excuse will do
I would like to dive for pearls, but the water's way too deep
I would like to live my dream, but I cannot even sleep
I would like to taste the rain somewhere close to Paradise
But I'm paralyzed
I would like to play guitar, but it's always out of tune
I would like to write a song, but I cannot find a rhyme
I would do so many things; I just have to break the ice
But I'm paralyzed
I used to laugh, I used to cry
I don't know when, I don't know why
Where will I be in twenty years
I don't know, I don't know
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Paralyzed Lyrics as written by Quinn Allman Jeph Howard
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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