"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.
Here lies the lifeless bride and groom
Till' death do us part came far too soon
Buildings burn and people die all of the time
But I heard that you reap what you sow
So around and around we go
And when you see my face you'll know
You can't save yourself
Or save your soul
When you meet the man whose life you stole
With weathered wings and broken bones
A flight for the fallen flies the crow
You can't save yourself
These vengeful thoughts trapped underneath
Rage, scorn, misery
Payback for what you took from me
Hope, love, sanity
I heard that you reap what you sow
So here's to believing in ghosts
Now when you see my face you'll know
You can't save yourself
Or save your soul
When you meet the man whose life you stole
With weathered wings and broken bones
A flight for the fallen flies the crow
No forgiveness, just farewell
From the match made in heaven
You sent straight to hell
No forgiveness, no escape
May you rest in pieces
For your grave mistake
For your grave mistake
You can't save yourself
Or save your soul
When you meet the man whose life you stole
With weathered wings and broken bones
A flight for the fallen flies the crow
You can't save yourself
No, you can't save yourself
For your grave mistake
You can't save yourself
Till' death do us part came far too soon
Buildings burn and people die all of the time
But I heard that you reap what you sow
So around and around we go
And when you see my face you'll know
You can't save yourself
Or save your soul
When you meet the man whose life you stole
With weathered wings and broken bones
A flight for the fallen flies the crow
You can't save yourself
These vengeful thoughts trapped underneath
Rage, scorn, misery
Payback for what you took from me
Hope, love, sanity
I heard that you reap what you sow
So here's to believing in ghosts
Now when you see my face you'll know
You can't save yourself
Or save your soul
When you meet the man whose life you stole
With weathered wings and broken bones
A flight for the fallen flies the crow
No forgiveness, just farewell
From the match made in heaven
You sent straight to hell
No forgiveness, no escape
May you rest in pieces
For your grave mistake
For your grave mistake
You can't save yourself
Or save your soul
When you meet the man whose life you stole
With weathered wings and broken bones
A flight for the fallen flies the crow
You can't save yourself
No, you can't save yourself
For your grave mistake
You can't save yourself
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