"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.
Going to a go-go
Going to a go-go
Na-na-na-na, yeah-hey
Well there's a brand new place I found-a
Where people goin' from miles around-a
They come from everywhere and if you'll drop in there
You might see anyone in town-a
Going to a go-go, everybody's
Going to a go-go, come on now
Don't you wanna go, yeah
A one more time, yeah
I'm going to a go-go, hoo-hoo-wee-eee
Going to a go-go, baby come on now
It doesn't matter where you are-a
A go go can be found
You'll see some people from your block
And don't be shocked
If you see your favorite star-a
Going to a go-go, 'cause everybody
Going to a go-go, oh, come on now-ow
Don't you wanna go?
Yeah people, come on now
Na-na-na-na-na yeah-hey
Tell me
Don't you wanna go?
Yeah, now it's alright-a
I-am going to a go-go
Yes I am now going to a go-go
Oh, come on now-ow
It doesn't matter if-a you go stag-a
It doesn't matter if-a you go drag-a
You're sure to have some fun, I'm tellin' everyone
Most every taxi a-that you flag is
Going to a go-go, oh come on baby
Going to a go-go, baby come on now-ow
Don't you wanna go, yeah
A one more time, yeah
I'm going to a go-go, a-hoo-hoo-wee-eee
Going to a go-go, baby come on now-ow
Going to a go-go, come on baby
Going to a go-go, oh come on now
Going to a go-go
Na-na-na-na, yeah-hey
Well there's a brand new place I found-a
Where people goin' from miles around-a
They come from everywhere and if you'll drop in there
You might see anyone in town-a
Going to a go-go, everybody's
Going to a go-go, come on now
Don't you wanna go, yeah
A one more time, yeah
I'm going to a go-go, hoo-hoo-wee-eee
Going to a go-go, baby come on now
It doesn't matter where you are-a
A go go can be found
You'll see some people from your block
And don't be shocked
If you see your favorite star-a
Going to a go-go, 'cause everybody
Going to a go-go, oh, come on now-ow
Don't you wanna go?
Yeah people, come on now
Na-na-na-na-na yeah-hey
Tell me
Don't you wanna go?
Yeah, now it's alright-a
I-am going to a go-go
Yes I am now going to a go-go
Oh, come on now-ow
It doesn't matter if-a you go stag-a
It doesn't matter if-a you go drag-a
You're sure to have some fun, I'm tellin' everyone
Most every taxi a-that you flag is
Going to a go-go, oh come on baby
Going to a go-go, baby come on now-ow
Don't you wanna go, yeah
A one more time, yeah
I'm going to a go-go, a-hoo-hoo-wee-eee
Going to a go-go, baby come on now-ow
Going to a go-go, come on baby
Going to a go-go, oh come on now
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by Mellow_Harsher
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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