"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.
Hey, hey, hey
Come on
We're having too much fun right now, uh
She's got a secret but I know
She wanna break it down for me like she tryna get some paper (uh)
Who needs a stage with the lights low
'Cause you already dropped the bullet, turned it into something major
Now can we discuss
How fast you just got undressed?
Girl, if sex is a contest, then you're coming first, and
Don't rush, go slow
I, I can't lie, I'm impressed
Standing ovation, encore
When love curtains close
It's a cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor)
(Hey) 'cause even though I'm a professional
I like to do my work at home
Cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor) (uh)
You're giving me everything you got
All I really want now is more
(Put on a show) hey (get on the floor)
Oh (get on the floor, get on the floor)
Oh oh (put on a show) hey (get on the floor)
Oh, you're giving me everything you got
All I really want now is more (come on, come on)
Fantasy play the role
And all these new moves I like, you got me feeling like a stranger, uh
Say my name, do you know?
'Cause I got you sayin' Jesus so much its like we are laying in a manger
Now can we discuss
How fast you just got undressed?
Girl, if sex is a contest, then you're coming first and
Don't rush, go slow
I, I can't lie, I'm impressed
Standing ovation, encore
When love curtains close
It's a cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor)
'Cause even though I'm a professional
I like to do my work at home
Cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor) (oh)
You're giving me everything you got
All I really want now is more
(Put on a show) hey (get on the floor)
Oh (get on the floor, get on the floor)
Oh oh (put on a show) hey (get on the floor)
Oh, you're giving me everything you got
All I really want now is more
Okay, this just in, girl, the paper so long
Always seem like I gotta wait for so long
So long 'til you get off from work
But listen, I got some better positions for you to take in so long
Always strap up just for safety then go long
Do my touchdown dance in it, no clothes on
We might fuck around and slip tonight
You're Kryptonite, you should probably have a cape to throw on, uh
On my Eddie Murphy Boomerang for ya
Got a bunch of old girls that I threw away for ya
I been in the gym doing two a days for ya
So I can lift ya up when I do the thang to ya
D-do the thing to ya
Girl, truth be told
You set the pace then you ride it like cruise control
The shit feel so right, gotta tell somebody
I just can't decide who should know
I'll keep a secret for ya
(Now break it down)
I'm tryna ease your mind, word to Boosie
Pole in my bedroom that was there when I moved in
Okay fine, I'm a terrible liar
Girl, what difference does it make if it was there, it's mine
You the girl that's gonna be there when it's marrying time
And I'm gonna fuck you like we are having an affair
I swear, it's like I'm undercover way I'm cuffing you though
Presidential shit, girl, you up on the poles
Say this is a private show, ooh, boy, don't start
Keep this whole stripper thing secret in a pole vault
North pole boy from the TO
They ain't really ready for me and that JT Though
Cook for ya and then I break it down like a kilo
Got a camera watching our every single move like casinos
Cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor)
'Cause even though I'm a professional
I like to do my work at home
Cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor)
You're giving me everything you got
All I really want now is more
(Put on a show,) hey (get on the floor)
She wanna break it down for me like she tryna get some paper
(Put on a show,) hey (get on the floor)
She wanna break it down for me like she tryna get some paper, p-p-paper (come on, come on)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound)
She wanna break it down for me, for me, break it down, break it down
(And all, in thrilling new living sound)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound) (break it down)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound) (break it down)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound)
Come on
We're having too much fun right now, uh
She's got a secret but I know
She wanna break it down for me like she tryna get some paper (uh)
Who needs a stage with the lights low
'Cause you already dropped the bullet, turned it into something major
Now can we discuss
How fast you just got undressed?
Girl, if sex is a contest, then you're coming first, and
Don't rush, go slow
I, I can't lie, I'm impressed
Standing ovation, encore
When love curtains close
It's a cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor)
(Hey) 'cause even though I'm a professional
I like to do my work at home
Cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor) (uh)
You're giving me everything you got
All I really want now is more
(Put on a show) hey (get on the floor)
Oh (get on the floor, get on the floor)
Oh oh (put on a show) hey (get on the floor)
Oh, you're giving me everything you got
All I really want now is more (come on, come on)
Fantasy play the role
And all these new moves I like, you got me feeling like a stranger, uh
Say my name, do you know?
'Cause I got you sayin' Jesus so much its like we are laying in a manger
Now can we discuss
How fast you just got undressed?
Girl, if sex is a contest, then you're coming first and
Don't rush, go slow
I, I can't lie, I'm impressed
Standing ovation, encore
When love curtains close
It's a cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor)
'Cause even though I'm a professional
I like to do my work at home
Cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor) (oh)
You're giving me everything you got
All I really want now is more
(Put on a show) hey (get on the floor)
Oh (get on the floor, get on the floor)
Oh oh (put on a show) hey (get on the floor)
Oh, you're giving me everything you got
All I really want now is more
Okay, this just in, girl, the paper so long
Always seem like I gotta wait for so long
So long 'til you get off from work
But listen, I got some better positions for you to take in so long
Always strap up just for safety then go long
Do my touchdown dance in it, no clothes on
We might fuck around and slip tonight
You're Kryptonite, you should probably have a cape to throw on, uh
On my Eddie Murphy Boomerang for ya
Got a bunch of old girls that I threw away for ya
I been in the gym doing two a days for ya
So I can lift ya up when I do the thang to ya
D-do the thing to ya
Girl, truth be told
You set the pace then you ride it like cruise control
The shit feel so right, gotta tell somebody
I just can't decide who should know
I'll keep a secret for ya
(Now break it down)
I'm tryna ease your mind, word to Boosie
Pole in my bedroom that was there when I moved in
Okay fine, I'm a terrible liar
Girl, what difference does it make if it was there, it's mine
You the girl that's gonna be there when it's marrying time
And I'm gonna fuck you like we are having an affair
I swear, it's like I'm undercover way I'm cuffing you though
Presidential shit, girl, you up on the poles
Say this is a private show, ooh, boy, don't start
Keep this whole stripper thing secret in a pole vault
North pole boy from the TO
They ain't really ready for me and that JT Though
Cook for ya and then I break it down like a kilo
Got a camera watching our every single move like casinos
Cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor)
'Cause even though I'm a professional
I like to do my work at home
Cabaret (put on a show)
Oh (get on the floor)
You're giving me everything you got
All I really want now is more
(Put on a show,) hey (get on the floor)
She wanna break it down for me like she tryna get some paper
(Put on a show,) hey (get on the floor)
She wanna break it down for me like she tryna get some paper, p-p-paper (come on, come on)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound)
She wanna break it down for me, for me, break it down, break it down
(And all, in thrilling new living sound)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound) (break it down)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound) (break it down)
(And all, in thrilling new living sound)
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Page
Ed Sheeran
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