"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 can have Manhattan
I know it's for the best
I'll gather up the avenues
And leave them on your doorstep
And I'll tip toe away
So you won't have to say
You heard me leave
You can have Manhattan
I know it's what you want
The bustle and the buildings
The weather in the fall
And I'll bow out of place
To save you some space
For somebody new
You can have Manhattan
'Cause I can't have you
Ah
You can have Manhattan
The one we used to share
The one where we were laughing
And drunk on just being there
Hang on to the reverie
Could you do that for me
'Cause I'm just too sad to
You can have Manhattan
'Cause I can't have you
And so it goes
One foot after the other
'Til black and white begin to color in
And I know
That holding us in place is simply fear
Of what's already changed
Ah
You can have Manhattan
I'll settle for the beach
And sunsets facing westward with
Sand beneath my feet
I'll wish this away
Just missing the days
When I was one half of two
You can have Manhattan
'Cause I can't have you
I know it's for the best
I'll gather up the avenues
And leave them on your doorstep
And I'll tip toe away
So you won't have to say
You heard me leave
You can have Manhattan
I know it's what you want
The bustle and the buildings
The weather in the fall
And I'll bow out of place
To save you some space
For somebody new
You can have Manhattan
'Cause I can't have you
Ah
You can have Manhattan
The one we used to share
The one where we were laughing
And drunk on just being there
Hang on to the reverie
Could you do that for me
'Cause I'm just too sad to
You can have Manhattan
'Cause I can't have you
And so it goes
One foot after the other
'Til black and white begin to color in
And I know
That holding us in place is simply fear
Of what's already changed
Ah
You can have Manhattan
I'll settle for the beach
And sunsets facing westward with
Sand beneath my feet
I'll wish this away
Just missing the days
When I was one half of two
You can have Manhattan
'Cause I can't have you
Lyrics submitted by dontlookaway
Manhattan Lyrics as written by Sara Bareilles
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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