"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.
Women peak at 40 and men at 19
I remember laughing my head off when I read that in a magazine
(I was twenty at the time)
Now I'm staring forty right in the face
And the only trouble with being a woman my age, is the men my age.
That's why younger men are starting to catch my eye
I'm starting to stop what I'm doing
just to turn around and watch them walk by
At the very next opportunity
I'm gonna give a younger man a try
Because younger men are starting to catch my eye
Men my age, poor old darlings, they're worried and their harry
Some of them drink too much, whole lot of them are married
And honey here I'm at on the threshold of all that fun
I'm gonna try my best to cross it with a younger one
Oh, I said that younger men are starting to catch my eye
I'm starting to stop what I'm doing
Just to turn around and watch them walk by
At the very next opportunity
I'm gonna give a younger man a try
Because younger men are starting to catch my eye
(Musical interlude)
Woah, look over here
We got a cute little ol' runner to the right
Blue shorts, no shirt
Whoo! You're looking good darling
That's right, stay in shape
Ohh... Ohh... Ohhhhhhh...
Because younger men are starting to catch my eye
Yes, I said younger men are starting to catch my eye"
I remember laughing my head off when I read that in a magazine
(I was twenty at the time)
Now I'm staring forty right in the face
And the only trouble with being a woman my age, is the men my age.
That's why younger men are starting to catch my eye
I'm starting to stop what I'm doing
just to turn around and watch them walk by
At the very next opportunity
I'm gonna give a younger man a try
Because younger men are starting to catch my eye
Men my age, poor old darlings, they're worried and their harry
Some of them drink too much, whole lot of them are married
And honey here I'm at on the threshold of all that fun
I'm gonna try my best to cross it with a younger one
Oh, I said that younger men are starting to catch my eye
I'm starting to stop what I'm doing
Just to turn around and watch them walk by
At the very next opportunity
I'm gonna give a younger man a try
Because younger men are starting to catch my eye
(Musical interlude)
Woah, look over here
We got a cute little ol' runner to the right
Blue shorts, no shirt
Whoo! You're looking good darling
That's right, stay in shape
Ohh... Ohh... Ohhhhhhh...
Because younger men are starting to catch my eye
Yes, I said younger men are starting to catch my eye"
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Fast Car
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