"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.
The useless drag of another day
The endless drags of a death rock boy
Mascara sure and lipstick lost
Glitter burned by restless thoughts of being forgotten
And in your sad machines
You'll forever stay
Desperate and displeased with whoever you are
And you're a star
Somewhere he pulls his hair down over a frowning smile
A hidden diamond you cannot find
A secret star that cannot shine over to you
May the king of gloom, be forever doomed
And in your sad machines
You'll forever stay
Burning up in speed
Lost inside the dreams, of teen machines
The useless drags, the empty days
The lonely towers of long mistakes
To forgotten faces and faded loves
Sitting still was never enough
And if you're giving in, then you're giving up
'Cause in your sad machines
You'll forever stay
Burning up in speed
Lost inside the dreams, of teen machines
The endless drags of a death rock boy
Mascara sure and lipstick lost
Glitter burned by restless thoughts of being forgotten
And in your sad machines
You'll forever stay
Desperate and displeased with whoever you are
And you're a star
Somewhere he pulls his hair down over a frowning smile
A hidden diamond you cannot find
A secret star that cannot shine over to you
May the king of gloom, be forever doomed
And in your sad machines
You'll forever stay
Burning up in speed
Lost inside the dreams, of teen machines
The useless drags, the empty days
The lonely towers of long mistakes
To forgotten faces and faded loves
Sitting still was never enough
And if you're giving in, then you're giving up
'Cause in your sad machines
You'll forever stay
Burning up in speed
Lost inside the dreams, of teen machines
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Yeah, that's a very good take on the song, about Kurt and all. But he's talking about himself as a teenager, I can totally 100% relate to this song, which is why I love it so much. "Desperate and displeased, with whoever you are, and your a star", genius. everyones a star, but when you don't like yourself, you need oncvincing.. I can't explain it very well.