"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.
They got a ranch they call
Number Fifty-One
They got a ranch they call
Number Fifty-One
You can't see it at all
'Less your flying by
Just sitting there square
Baking in the sun
Beneath the sky, sky, sky, sky
They're gonna put it down
Right on the strip
They're gonna put it down
On the Vegas strip
They're gonna put it down
And step outside
Into the lights
Right outta that ship
Saying hi, hi, hi, hi
I was driving doing nothing on the shores of Great Salt Lake
When they put it on the air, I put it in the hammer lane
I soon forgot myself and I forgot about the brake
I forgot about all laws and I forgot about the rain
They were talking on the 9 and all across the Amy band
Across the road they were turning around and headed south with me
It got so crowded on the road I started driving in the sand
My head was feeling scared but my heart was feeling free
The desert turned to mud, it seems that everybody heard
Everybody was remembering to forget they had the chills
Then I heard the voices on a broadcast from up on the bird
They were getting interviewed by some good man whose name was Bill
I'm almost there to Vegas where they're puttin' on a show
They've come so far, I've lived this long at least
I must just go and say hello
Number Fifty-One
They got a ranch they call
Number Fifty-One
You can't see it at all
'Less your flying by
Just sitting there square
Baking in the sun
Beneath the sky, sky, sky, sky
They're gonna put it down
Right on the strip
They're gonna put it down
On the Vegas strip
They're gonna put it down
And step outside
Into the lights
Right outta that ship
Saying hi, hi, hi, hi
I was driving doing nothing on the shores of Great Salt Lake
When they put it on the air, I put it in the hammer lane
I soon forgot myself and I forgot about the brake
I forgot about all laws and I forgot about the rain
They were talking on the 9 and all across the Amy band
Across the road they were turning around and headed south with me
It got so crowded on the road I started driving in the sand
My head was feeling scared but my heart was feeling free
The desert turned to mud, it seems that everybody heard
Everybody was remembering to forget they had the chills
Then I heard the voices on a broadcast from up on the bird
They were getting interviewed by some good man whose name was Bill
I'm almost there to Vegas where they're puttin' on a show
They've come so far, I've lived this long at least
I must just go and say hello
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Fast Car
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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This is their best song hands down. Every second of it is musical perfection. Bossanova was BY FAR their best sounding album in my opinion. Go get it if you haven't already.