"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.
Splintered piece of glass falls in the seat of gets caught
These broken windows, open locks, reminders of the youth we lost
In trying so hard to look away from you
we followed white lines to the sunset
I crash my car everyday the same way
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time runs through our veins
(it starts and stops and starts and stops again)
We don't stand a chance in this threadbare time
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
I don't want to feel this way forever
A dead letter marked return to sender
The broken watch you gave me turns into a compass
It's hands still point to the same time 12:03, our last goodbye
So push the seats back a little further
I can see the headlights coming
So push the seats back a little further
Roll the windows down and take a breath
I can see the headlights coming
They paint the world in red and broken glass
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time runs through our veins.
(it starts and stops and starts and stops again)
We don't stand a chance in this threadbare time
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
I don't want to feel this way forever
A dead letter marked return to sender
The spinning hubcaps set the tempo for the music of a broken window
the cameras on and the cameras click
we open up the lens and can't stop
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
I don't want to feel this way forever
the lights are on and the cameras click
we open up the lens to broken glass
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
i don't want to feel this way for every
a dead letter marked return to sender
(I'll never understand
Understanding in a car crash)
These broken windows, open locks, reminders of the youth we lost
In trying so hard to look away from you
we followed white lines to the sunset
I crash my car everyday the same way
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time runs through our veins
(it starts and stops and starts and stops again)
We don't stand a chance in this threadbare time
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
I don't want to feel this way forever
A dead letter marked return to sender
The broken watch you gave me turns into a compass
It's hands still point to the same time 12:03, our last goodbye
So push the seats back a little further
I can see the headlights coming
So push the seats back a little further
Roll the windows down and take a breath
I can see the headlights coming
They paint the world in red and broken glass
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time runs through our veins.
(it starts and stops and starts and stops again)
We don't stand a chance in this threadbare time
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Time to let this pass
(the time it takes, the time it takes to let go)
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
I don't want to feel this way forever
A dead letter marked return to sender
The spinning hubcaps set the tempo for the music of a broken window
the cameras on and the cameras click
we open up the lens and can't stop
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
I don't want to feel this way forever
the lights are on and the cameras click
we open up the lens to broken glass
Staring at the setting sun
No reason to come back again
The twilight world in blue and white
The needle and the damage done
i don't want to feel this way for every
a dead letter marked return to sender
(I'll never understand
Understanding in a car crash)
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Fast Car
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I heard this was about a car crash too, and notice Understanding In A Car Crash. Almost all the lyrics point to a car crash.
Also, yes, they do write their songs so other people can relate to it too, but its inspired by something that has occurred to them.