"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.
Every single night I endure the flight
Of little whims of white flame
Butterflies in my brain
These ideas of mine percolate the mind
Trickle down the spine
Form the belly swelling to a blaze
That's where the pain comes in
Like a second skeleton
Trying to fit beneath the skin
I can't bear the feeling
Every single night's alight
With my brain
And I say to her
Why'd I say it to her
What does she think of me
That I'm not what I ought to be
That I'm what I try not to be
Has got to be somebody else's fault
I can't get caught
If what I am is what I am
'Cause I does what I does
Then brother get back 'cause my breast gonna bust open
The rib is the shell and the heart is the yolk
And I just made a meal for us both to choke on
Every single night's a fight
With my brain
I just wanna feel everything
I just wanna feel everything
I just wanna feel everything
So I'm gonna try to be still now
Gonna renounce the mill a little while
And if we had a double king-size bed
We could move in it and I'd soon forget
If what I am is what I am
'Cause I does what I does
And maybe I'd relax, let my breast just bust open
My heart's made of parts of all that's around me
And that's why the devil just can't get around me
Every single night's alright
Every single night's a fight
Every single fight's alright
With my brain
I just wanna feel everything
I just wanna feel everything
I just wanna feel everything
I just wanna feel everything
Of little whims of white flame
Butterflies in my brain
These ideas of mine percolate the mind
Trickle down the spine
Form the belly swelling to a blaze
That's where the pain comes in
Like a second skeleton
Trying to fit beneath the skin
I can't bear the feeling
Every single night's alight
With my brain
And I say to her
Why'd I say it to her
What does she think of me
That I'm not what I ought to be
That I'm what I try not to be
Has got to be somebody else's fault
I can't get caught
If what I am is what I am
'Cause I does what I does
Then brother get back 'cause my breast gonna bust open
The rib is the shell and the heart is the yolk
And I just made a meal for us both to choke on
Every single night's a fight
With my brain
I just wanna feel everything
I just wanna feel everything
I just wanna feel everything
So I'm gonna try to be still now
Gonna renounce the mill a little while
And if we had a double king-size bed
We could move in it and I'd soon forget
If what I am is what I am
'Cause I does what I does
And maybe I'd relax, let my breast just bust open
My heart's made of parts of all that's around me
And that's why the devil just can't get around me
Every single night's alright
Every single night's a fight
Every single fight's alright
With my brain
I just wanna feel everything
I just wanna feel everything
I just wanna feel everything
I just wanna feel everything
Lyrics submitted by NeonZebra, edited by nickireland7, ghostyyy, Soulwax
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@giuliadm "My hearts made of parts of all thats around me" is one of the most powerful and instructive lyrics I've ever heard. I interpret it to mean that she doesn't give her full heart to any one thing because once that thing goes away the devil can move in. It's better to give your heart to many things so if one goes away there are others to fill the void.