"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.
Some people might say my life is in a rut
I'm quite happy with what I got
People might say that I should strive for more, but
I'm so happy I can't see the point
Something's happening here today
A show of strength with your boy's brigade
And I'm so happy and you're so kind
You want more money, of course I don't mind
To buy nuclear textbooks for atomic crimes
And the public gets what the public wants
But I want nothing this society's got
I'm going underground (going underground)
Well, if the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground (going underground)
Well, let the boys all sing and let the boys all shout for tomorrow
Some people might get some pleasure out of hate
Me, I've enough already on my plate
People might need some tension to relax
Me? I'm too busy dodging between the flak
What you see is what you get
You've made your bed, you better lie in it
You choose your leaders and place your trust
As their lies wash you down and their promises rust
You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns
And the public wants what the public gets
But I don't get what this society wants
I'm going underground (going underground)
Well, if the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground (going underground)
So let the boys all sing and let the boys all shout for tomorrow
(Oh) la-la-la-la
(Oh) la-la-la-la
We talk and we talk until my head explodes
I turn on the news and my body froze
These braying sheep on my TV screen
Make this boy shout, make this boy scream
Going underground
I'm going underground
I'm going underground
I'm going underground
(Oh) la-la-la-la
(Oh) la-la-la-la
(Oh) la-la-la-la
(Oh) la-la-la-la
Braying sheep on my TV screen
Make this boy shout, make this boy scream
Going underground (going underground)
Well, if the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground (going underground)
Well, let the boys all sing and let the boys all shout
Going underground (going underground)
Well, if the brass bands play and feet go pound-pound-pound
Going underground (going underground)
So let the boys all sing and let the boys all shout for tomorrow
I'm quite happy with what I got
People might say that I should strive for more, but
I'm so happy I can't see the point
Something's happening here today
A show of strength with your boy's brigade
And I'm so happy and you're so kind
You want more money, of course I don't mind
To buy nuclear textbooks for atomic crimes
And the public gets what the public wants
But I want nothing this society's got
I'm going underground (going underground)
Well, if the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground (going underground)
Well, let the boys all sing and let the boys all shout for tomorrow
Some people might get some pleasure out of hate
Me, I've enough already on my plate
People might need some tension to relax
Me? I'm too busy dodging between the flak
What you see is what you get
You've made your bed, you better lie in it
You choose your leaders and place your trust
As their lies wash you down and their promises rust
You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns
And the public wants what the public gets
But I don't get what this society wants
I'm going underground (going underground)
Well, if the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground (going underground)
So let the boys all sing and let the boys all shout for tomorrow
(Oh) la-la-la-la
(Oh) la-la-la-la
We talk and we talk until my head explodes
I turn on the news and my body froze
These braying sheep on my TV screen
Make this boy shout, make this boy scream
Going underground
I'm going underground
I'm going underground
I'm going underground
(Oh) la-la-la-la
(Oh) la-la-la-la
(Oh) la-la-la-la
(Oh) la-la-la-la
Braying sheep on my TV screen
Make this boy shout, make this boy scream
Going underground (going underground)
Well, if the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground (going underground)
Well, let the boys all sing and let the boys all shout
Going underground (going underground)
Well, if the brass bands play and feet go pound-pound-pound
Going underground (going underground)
So let the boys all sing and let the boys all shout for tomorrow
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Fast Car
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