"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.
Natsukashii intoneishon ga afureteru chikatetsu no hoomu
Arekara dorekurai buri darou tachidomaru jikan mo nakatta
Mainichi no naka de
Kokoro ga oresou ni natta toki ni wa
Omoidashiteta kono keshiki kono nioi ano koro no jibun mo
Donna ni tooku tooku hanareteta tte itsudemo kaette oide yo tte
Omoikiri ryoute hiroge mattete kureru machi ga aru
Kono basho ga takaramono da yo tte dakara atashi ganbareru yo tte
Tsutaetai yo naichau yo atatakakute chikara ga minagitte
Sobietatsu kousoubiru ni ima wa mou bibittari wa shinai kedo
Tokidoki fuan ni narunda kono te ni wa mada nannimo tsukametenai
Genki da yo, shinpai shinaide ii yo tte
Sonna henji ga kuse ni natteru honto wa dame na toki mo
Donna ni tooku tooku hanareteta tte itsudemo kaette oide yo tte
Sou kotoba de mou ichido arukidaseru ki ga suru yo
Namida sae takaramono da yo tte sou yoberu hi ga kitto kuru tte
Wasureteta omoi wo ima mune no mannaka gyuutto dakishimete
Madamada atashi konna mon ja nai!
Tobikoerarenai wake ga nai!
Shinjiteru shinjitete zutto kawarazu ni mitsumetete
Donna ni
Donna ni tooku tooku hanareteta tte itsudemo kaette oide yo tte
Omoikiri ryoute hiroge mattete kureru machi ga aru
Itsuka motto motto kagayaite mune wo hatte kaereru you ni
Atarashii kono machi de takaramono fuyashiteku kara ne
Arekara dorekurai buri darou tachidomaru jikan mo nakatta
Mainichi no naka de
Kokoro ga oresou ni natta toki ni wa
Omoidashiteta kono keshiki kono nioi ano koro no jibun mo
Donna ni tooku tooku hanareteta tte itsudemo kaette oide yo tte
Omoikiri ryoute hiroge mattete kureru machi ga aru
Kono basho ga takaramono da yo tte dakara atashi ganbareru yo tte
Tsutaetai yo naichau yo atatakakute chikara ga minagitte
Sobietatsu kousoubiru ni ima wa mou bibittari wa shinai kedo
Tokidoki fuan ni narunda kono te ni wa mada nannimo tsukametenai
Genki da yo, shinpai shinaide ii yo tte
Sonna henji ga kuse ni natteru honto wa dame na toki mo
Donna ni tooku tooku hanareteta tte itsudemo kaette oide yo tte
Sou kotoba de mou ichido arukidaseru ki ga suru yo
Namida sae takaramono da yo tte sou yoberu hi ga kitto kuru tte
Wasureteta omoi wo ima mune no mannaka gyuutto dakishimete
Madamada atashi konna mon ja nai!
Tobikoerarenai wake ga nai!
Shinjiteru shinjitete zutto kawarazu ni mitsumetete
Donna ni
Donna ni tooku tooku hanareteta tte itsudemo kaette oide yo tte
Omoikiri ryoute hiroge mattete kureru machi ga aru
Itsuka motto motto kagayaite mune wo hatte kaereru you ni
Atarashii kono machi de takaramono fuyashiteku kara ne
Lyrics submitted by thoseguiltyeyes
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Fast Car
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