"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 went out walking into a blizzard night
With my warm head humming like the orange street lights
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
I put my cold feet into a firelight room
I was four pints deep before I did resume
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
To the street I went with music in my ears
The snow was still blowing
I was going light years
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
With my young head swimming in a sea of booze
How the spark of life in me it was infused
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
With my warm head humming like the orange street lights
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
I put my cold feet into a firelight room
I was four pints deep before I did resume
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
To the street I went with music in my ears
The snow was still blowing
I was going light years
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
With my young head swimming in a sea of booze
How the spark of life in me it was infused
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
And my mind was working with a vibrant scene
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