"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.
You made me love you
I didn't want to do it, I didn't want to do it
You made me love you
And all the time you knew it, I guess you always knew it
You made me happy sometimes, you made me glad
But most of the time, dear, you made me feel so bad
You made me sigh, 'cause
I didn't want to tell you, I didn't want to tell you
I need some love it's true, yes I do, 'deed I do, you know I do
I can't tell you what I'm feeling
The very mention of your name sends my heart reeling
You know you made me love you
The bells are ringing for me and my gal
The birds are singing for me and my gal
"Sing it with me, please!"
Everybody's been knowing to a wedding they're going
And for weeks they've been sewing, every Susie and Sal
They're congregating for me and my gal
The parson's waiting for me and my gal
And when they build a little home to two
Or three or four or more
In Loveland, for me and my gal
Clang, clang, clang went the trolley
Ding, ding, ding went the bell
Zing, zing, zing went my heart strings
From the moment I saw him, I fell
Chug, chug, chug went the motor
Bump, bump, bump went the brake
Thump, thump, thump went my heart strings
When he smiled, you could feel the car shake
He tipped his hat, and took a seat
He said he hoped he hadn't stepped upon my feet
He asked my name, I held my breath
I couldn't speak because he scared me half to death
Buzz, buzz, buzz went the buzzer
Plop, plop, plop went the wheels
Stop, stop went my heart strings
As he started to leave, I took hold of his sleeve with my hand
And as if it was planned, he stayed on with me
And it was grand just to stand with his hand holding mine
To the end of the line
I didn't want to do it, I didn't want to do it
You made me love you
And all the time you knew it, I guess you always knew it
You made me happy sometimes, you made me glad
But most of the time, dear, you made me feel so bad
You made me sigh, 'cause
I didn't want to tell you, I didn't want to tell you
I need some love it's true, yes I do, 'deed I do, you know I do
I can't tell you what I'm feeling
The very mention of your name sends my heart reeling
You know you made me love you
The bells are ringing for me and my gal
The birds are singing for me and my gal
"Sing it with me, please!"
Everybody's been knowing to a wedding they're going
And for weeks they've been sewing, every Susie and Sal
They're congregating for me and my gal
The parson's waiting for me and my gal
And when they build a little home to two
Or three or four or more
In Loveland, for me and my gal
Clang, clang, clang went the trolley
Ding, ding, ding went the bell
Zing, zing, zing went my heart strings
From the moment I saw him, I fell
Chug, chug, chug went the motor
Bump, bump, bump went the brake
Thump, thump, thump went my heart strings
When he smiled, you could feel the car shake
He tipped his hat, and took a seat
He said he hoped he hadn't stepped upon my feet
He asked my name, I held my breath
I couldn't speak because he scared me half to death
Buzz, buzz, buzz went the buzzer
Plop, plop, plop went the wheels
Stop, stop went my heart strings
As he started to leave, I took hold of his sleeve with my hand
And as if it was planned, he stayed on with me
And it was grand just to stand with his hand holding mine
To the end of the line
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Medley: You Made Me Love You/For Me and My Gal/The Trolley Song Lyrics as written by James Monaco Joseph Mccarthy
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Royalty Network, BROADWAY MUSIC CORPORATION, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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Medley: You Made Me Love You/For Me and My Gal/The Trolley Song song meanings
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Fast Car
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