"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.
When we turn on our TV
It hits us with heartache
And the side car we can't see
It's more bias, more hate
What legacy will we leave
For the ones that come after?
All I see in front of me
Unnatural disaster
But then I see one, it only takes one smile
One smile to break through
And then after one, it only takes one hand
To reach out and help you
No bullet, no gun can stop the love
Can stop the love
Nobody, no one can stop the love
Can stop the love
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
The love
We get taught the color of our skins
It's what we're defined by
It's too many kids are foreign
And for the bottom dollar they die
No bullet, no gun can stop the love
Can stop the love
Nobody, no one can stop the love
Can stop the love
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Said Mr. Officer, Officer
What's the quota for promising?
Supposed to be serving people
But you're serving the dollar, sir
Undocumented killers, they knocking down the buildings
See, I ain't no ODB, meaning they not for the children
KKK, what's really going on
Ask yourself when you hear this song
Are we living in a nation that's promoting segregation
Before you see my color you should see me as your brother
A strong black man with a proud white mother
But then I see one, it only takes one smile
One smile to break through
And then after one, it only takes one hand
To reach out and help you
No bullet, no gun can stop the love
Can stop the love
Nobody, no one can stop the love
Can stop the love
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
The love
(No bullet, no gun can stop the love
Can stop the love
Nobody, no one can stop the love
Can stop the love)
(No bullet, no gun can stop the love
Can stop the love
Nobody, no one can stop the love
Can stop the love)
It hits us with heartache
And the side car we can't see
It's more bias, more hate
What legacy will we leave
For the ones that come after?
All I see in front of me
Unnatural disaster
But then I see one, it only takes one smile
One smile to break through
And then after one, it only takes one hand
To reach out and help you
No bullet, no gun can stop the love
Can stop the love
Nobody, no one can stop the love
Can stop the love
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
The love
We get taught the color of our skins
It's what we're defined by
It's too many kids are foreign
And for the bottom dollar they die
No bullet, no gun can stop the love
Can stop the love
Nobody, no one can stop the love
Can stop the love
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Said Mr. Officer, Officer
What's the quota for promising?
Supposed to be serving people
But you're serving the dollar, sir
Undocumented killers, they knocking down the buildings
See, I ain't no ODB, meaning they not for the children
KKK, what's really going on
Ask yourself when you hear this song
Are we living in a nation that's promoting segregation
Before you see my color you should see me as your brother
A strong black man with a proud white mother
But then I see one, it only takes one smile
One smile to break through
And then after one, it only takes one hand
To reach out and help you
No bullet, no gun can stop the love
Can stop the love
Nobody, no one can stop the love
Can stop the love
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
The love
(No bullet, no gun can stop the love
Can stop the love
Nobody, no one can stop the love
Can stop the love)
(No bullet, no gun can stop the love
Can stop the love
Nobody, no one can stop the love
Can stop the love)
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Fast Car
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