"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.
How are we supposed to know what's real?
The dirt, the bread, the snow, the rusty steel
Something in the neighborhoods not right
They'll stay indoors until the break of light
The clones, they've always said to stay in line
But I'd rather die than piss away my time
Our food's diseased by altered seeds and dyes
So we take a pill and trust the doctor's lie
You want the hours back
Every night a 12-pack
Stoned, they're all stoned
We want the hours back
Television soundtrack drones
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't
Here's my box enveloped in a giant force field
Down on my knees
Filthy, I made a mistake
You were the drug that I couldn't shake
You were the habit that I couldn't break
Lying awake for 8 hours straight
Human, I am a rotten human
On your way, on your way
On your way, on your way
On your way, on your way
On your way
You want the hours back
Every night, a 12 pack
Stoned, they're all stoned
We want the hours back
Television soundtrack drones
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't
The dirt, the bread, the snow, the rusty steel
Something in the neighborhoods not right
They'll stay indoors until the break of light
The clones, they've always said to stay in line
But I'd rather die than piss away my time
Our food's diseased by altered seeds and dyes
So we take a pill and trust the doctor's lie
You want the hours back
Every night a 12-pack
Stoned, they're all stoned
We want the hours back
Television soundtrack drones
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't
Here's my box enveloped in a giant force field
Down on my knees
Filthy, I made a mistake
You were the drug that I couldn't shake
You were the habit that I couldn't break
Lying awake for 8 hours straight
Human, I am a rotten human
On your way, on your way
On your way, on your way
On your way, on your way
On your way
You want the hours back
Every night, a 12 pack
Stoned, they're all stoned
We want the hours back
Television soundtrack drones
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't, no I won't
No I won't
Lyrics submitted by gilbag
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I might be projecting my own feelings and thoughts about this song, but it seems to me Trevor is talking about how we as humans have this tendency to drone through life, through work, following rules, following expectations without any liberty or freedom to truly be free-thinking, positive humans. The song is through the eyes of someone who is caught up in this world and relying on his addictions as a way to feel a sense of freedom.
First stanza - describing neighbourhoods filled with people trapped in their house (after work hours / in the evenings), being expected to abide by the rules and move into the production line the next day-break. He puts in his feelings "I would rather die than to piss away my time (like those drones)." We can't trust our food, or how healthcare / government system.... you're feeling depressed, here's a pill. You're not alone in needing this patch.
No I wont - I won't fall into it. I can't. I won't. - he cries.
Next few stanzas are the plea of someone being caught up in this world and having to fall into what are quite common habits to 'escape' this shitty world or way of life - alcohol, drug abuse, insomnia... aching to have their lives and hours back. To feel alive again, yet being trapped within this false sphere of addictions in order to try to achieve a higher-life.
Something like that. I'm not the greatest at deciphering lyrics, but that's what I think.