"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.
Florida, don't let your daddy get you down
That good in you will make it easier somehow
You woke up this morning praying it would snow
You won't do too good in the cold, you know
Whatever it is, it makes you not trust your mind
You won't find no comfort on the borderline, no anytime
Florida
You better hold out your hand
If it's the line you understand
Then cross it, baby, and move on
Oh
Now and then
Your mother needs you there
Let it be unspoken
But perfectly clear
She used to follow the love of her life
It's hard to accept
She's a good man's wife
Whatever it is that makes you not trust your mind
You won't find no comfort on the firing line, no anytime
Florida
You better hold out your hand
If it's the line you understand
Then cross it, baby, and move on
Florida
We've all been there somehow
If time isn't now, then when?
Get out while you still can!
That good in you will make it easier somehow
You woke up this morning praying it would snow
You won't do too good in the cold, you know
Whatever it is, it makes you not trust your mind
You won't find no comfort on the borderline, no anytime
Florida
You better hold out your hand
If it's the line you understand
Then cross it, baby, and move on
Oh
Now and then
Your mother needs you there
Let it be unspoken
But perfectly clear
She used to follow the love of her life
It's hard to accept
She's a good man's wife
Whatever it is that makes you not trust your mind
You won't find no comfort on the firing line, no anytime
Florida
You better hold out your hand
If it's the line you understand
Then cross it, baby, and move on
Florida
We've all been there somehow
If time isn't now, then when?
Get out while you still can!
Lyrics submitted by kstemz
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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