"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.
Take a look, look into my eyes
You'll see someone you don't recognize
You'll see someone who looks like me
But I'm not the me I used to be
Found I could fall and I could get up
And after all, I could hold my head up
I made it out, I made it through
I'm someone now who's someone new
But you could say you knew me then
You could say you knew me when
You knew me when I was on the edge
And my confidence was shattered
You knew me when I didn't know my worth
Didn't know how much I mattered
You knew me when you thought you could kick me down, no
You knew me when, you knew me then
But you don't know me now
You look surprised to see I've changed
But I've turned the key and I've turned the page
Stepped out the dark, into the sun
To a whole new me that I've become
I was scared, had so much fear then
Now I'm free, now I'm fearless
Took too much for too long
I'm someone now who's someone strong
And you can say you knew me then
You can say you knew me when
You knew me when I was on the edge
And my confidence was shattered
You knew me when I didn't know my worth
Didn't know how much I mattered
You knew me when you thought you could kick me down, no
You knew me when, you knew me then
But you don't know me now
I'm a litter wiser, reaching higher
It's a battle but I'm a fighter
This time there'll be no surrender, no
And you can say you knew me when
You can say you knew me when
You knew me when I was on the edge
And my confidence was shattered
You knew me when I didn't know my worth
Didn't know how much I mattered
You knew me when you thought you could kick me down, no
You knew me when
You knew me when, you knew me then
But you don't know me now
You knew me then, you knew me when
But you don't know me now
You'll see someone you don't recognize
You'll see someone who looks like me
But I'm not the me I used to be
Found I could fall and I could get up
And after all, I could hold my head up
I made it out, I made it through
I'm someone now who's someone new
But you could say you knew me then
You could say you knew me when
You knew me when I was on the edge
And my confidence was shattered
You knew me when I didn't know my worth
Didn't know how much I mattered
You knew me when you thought you could kick me down, no
You knew me when, you knew me then
But you don't know me now
You look surprised to see I've changed
But I've turned the key and I've turned the page
Stepped out the dark, into the sun
To a whole new me that I've become
I was scared, had so much fear then
Now I'm free, now I'm fearless
Took too much for too long
I'm someone now who's someone strong
And you can say you knew me then
You can say you knew me when
You knew me when I was on the edge
And my confidence was shattered
You knew me when I didn't know my worth
Didn't know how much I mattered
You knew me when you thought you could kick me down, no
You knew me when, you knew me then
But you don't know me now
I'm a litter wiser, reaching higher
It's a battle but I'm a fighter
This time there'll be no surrender, no
And you can say you knew me when
You can say you knew me when
You knew me when I was on the edge
And my confidence was shattered
You knew me when I didn't know my worth
Didn't know how much I mattered
You knew me when you thought you could kick me down, no
You knew me when
You knew me when, you knew me then
But you don't know me now
You knew me then, you knew me when
But you don't know me now
Lyrics submitted by Abbie96
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Fast Car
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