"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.
[Verse 1] (Slug)
Something sinister sits in the corner
Ignore it if you want but remember that we warned ya
There in the basement, behind the furnace
Feeding on flaw of your fear, so I can flourish
Puts the shook in your bones
Making all my noise when your parents ain't home
And if the bulbs burnt out in my underground layer
Guaranteed you're gonna sprint back up them stairs
Step by step by, let me get by
It's all in your mind, you do it every time
The darkness stares, anybody there?
Try to stay strong, pray for help
Or you can bring that fear, I survive on it
I thrive on it, I'm as loud as you allowed
When I climb out of your mind to eat your time
You can redeem your fear now
Now all the white girls sing along
[Hook]
Rhythm of rain (x2)
There goes my brain (x2)
[Verse 2] (Slug)
You can hear me growl, you can smell it foul
But as hard as you try, you'll never see me prowl
You can feel my touch, from the heart and spine
Some have all the luck all the time
Fear that I might take your life
Fear that I might fuck your wife
When you hear a gun, you hear my voice
When you hear a crash, you hear my voice
That tingle at the back of your skull
Cut the edge off the sanity
The blade is dull, they gave their all
But I took a little more
Cause I made a promise that I would win this war
Cause I made a promise, I'm fear motherfucker!
Cause I made a promise, I'm hear motherfucker!
The bams, the bulls, the bumps in the night
When it's on, when it's on, all the white girls sing along
[Verse 3] (Slug)
Get over it, get over me
You're the one that left me my opening
Forgot to put the lid down, tight to the truth
So I climb down and set myself loose
The only thing is fear itself, I'll kill you!
Love, money, god and health, I'll spill you!
Where do you put your trust? I'll kill you my damn self
Is it within or is it with us? Is it breath or is it death?
What in the name of God do you run from? run for? run to - someone
Done for?
Sit still, and take it like the bitch you are
You can fight and resist, you won't get too far
You made me, all the power you gave me
Cultivate the hatred, and fed it to the babies
Spent lifetimes pretending on a clue
But I'm a product of you, and now all the women sing along
Something sinister sits in the corner
Ignore it if you want but remember that we warned ya
There in the basement, behind the furnace
Feeding on flaw of your fear, so I can flourish
Puts the shook in your bones
Making all my noise when your parents ain't home
And if the bulbs burnt out in my underground layer
Guaranteed you're gonna sprint back up them stairs
Step by step by, let me get by
It's all in your mind, you do it every time
The darkness stares, anybody there?
Try to stay strong, pray for help
Or you can bring that fear, I survive on it
I thrive on it, I'm as loud as you allowed
When I climb out of your mind to eat your time
You can redeem your fear now
Now all the white girls sing along
[Hook]
Rhythm of rain (x2)
There goes my brain (x2)
[Verse 2] (Slug)
You can hear me growl, you can smell it foul
But as hard as you try, you'll never see me prowl
You can feel my touch, from the heart and spine
Some have all the luck all the time
Fear that I might take your life
Fear that I might fuck your wife
When you hear a gun, you hear my voice
When you hear a crash, you hear my voice
That tingle at the back of your skull
Cut the edge off the sanity
The blade is dull, they gave their all
But I took a little more
Cause I made a promise that I would win this war
Cause I made a promise, I'm fear motherfucker!
Cause I made a promise, I'm hear motherfucker!
The bams, the bulls, the bumps in the night
When it's on, when it's on, all the white girls sing along
[Verse 3] (Slug)
Get over it, get over me
You're the one that left me my opening
Forgot to put the lid down, tight to the truth
So I climb down and set myself loose
The only thing is fear itself, I'll kill you!
Love, money, god and health, I'll spill you!
Where do you put your trust? I'll kill you my damn self
Is it within or is it with us? Is it breath or is it death?
What in the name of God do you run from? run for? run to - someone
Done for?
Sit still, and take it like the bitch you are
You can fight and resist, you won't get too far
You made me, all the power you gave me
Cultivate the hatred, and fed it to the babies
Spent lifetimes pretending on a clue
But I'm a product of you, and now all the women sing along
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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Fast Car
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