"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.
Come on, Eileen
Come on, Eileen
Poor old Johnnie Ray
Sounded sad upon the radio
Moved a million hearts in mono
Our mothers cried
Sang along, who'd blame them?
You've grown (you're grown up)
So grown (so grown up)
Now I must say more than ever
(Come on, Eileen)
Too-ra-loo-ra
Too-ra-loo-rye-ay
And we can sing just like our fathers
Come on, Eileen
Oh, I swear (what he means)
At this moment
You mean everything
You in that dress
My thoughts, I confess
Verge on dirty
Ah, come on, Eileen
Come on, Eileen
These people 'round here
Were beaten down, eyes sunk in smoke-dried face
They're so resigned to what their fate is
But not us (no never)
But not us (not ever)
We are far too young and clever
(Remember)
Too-ra-loo-ra
Too-ra-loo-rye-ay
And you'll hum this tune forever
Come on, Eileen
Oh, I swear (what he means)
Ah, come on, let's
Take off everything
That pretty red dress
Eileen (tell him yes)
Ah, come on, let's
Ah, come on, Eileen, please
That pretty red dress
Eileen (tell him yes)
Ah, come on, let's
Ah, come on, Eileen, please
(Come on, Eileen, too-rye-ay)
(Come on, Eileen, too-rye-ay)
Now you're full grown (too-ra)
And now you have shown (too-ra, ta-loo-ra)
Oh, Eileen
Said, come on, Eileen (come on, Eileen) (you've grown)
These things they are real and I know (ta-loo-rye-ay) (so grown)
How you feel (come on, Eileen, ta-loo-rye-ay)
Now I must say more than ever (too-ra, ta-loo-ra)
Things 'round here have changed
I said, too-ra-loo-ra (come on, Eileen, ta-loo-rye-ay)
Too-ra-loo-rye-ay (come on, Eileen, ta-loo-rye-ay)
(Too-ra, ta-loo-ra)
Come on, Eileen
Oh, I swear (what he means)
At this moment
You mean everything
You in that dress
My thoughts, I confess
Verge on dirty
Ah, come on, Eileen
Come on, Eileen
Oh, I swear (what he means)
At this moment
You mean everything
In that dress
Oh, my thoughts I confess
Well, they're dirty
Come on, Eileen
Come on, Eileen
Whoa (what he means)
Whoa
Ah, come on, Eileen
Oh, believe me
If all those endearing young chums
That I gaze on so fondly today
Were to suddenly leave you, oh fly in the night
Just like fairy gifts gone in the sky
Come on, Eileen
Poor old Johnnie Ray
Sounded sad upon the radio
Moved a million hearts in mono
Our mothers cried
Sang along, who'd blame them?
You've grown (you're grown up)
So grown (so grown up)
Now I must say more than ever
(Come on, Eileen)
Too-ra-loo-ra
Too-ra-loo-rye-ay
And we can sing just like our fathers
Come on, Eileen
Oh, I swear (what he means)
At this moment
You mean everything
You in that dress
My thoughts, I confess
Verge on dirty
Ah, come on, Eileen
Come on, Eileen
These people 'round here
Were beaten down, eyes sunk in smoke-dried face
They're so resigned to what their fate is
But not us (no never)
But not us (not ever)
We are far too young and clever
(Remember)
Too-ra-loo-ra
Too-ra-loo-rye-ay
And you'll hum this tune forever
Come on, Eileen
Oh, I swear (what he means)
Ah, come on, let's
Take off everything
That pretty red dress
Eileen (tell him yes)
Ah, come on, let's
Ah, come on, Eileen, please
That pretty red dress
Eileen (tell him yes)
Ah, come on, let's
Ah, come on, Eileen, please
(Come on, Eileen, too-rye-ay)
(Come on, Eileen, too-rye-ay)
Now you're full grown (too-ra)
And now you have shown (too-ra, ta-loo-ra)
Oh, Eileen
Said, come on, Eileen (come on, Eileen) (you've grown)
These things they are real and I know (ta-loo-rye-ay) (so grown)
How you feel (come on, Eileen, ta-loo-rye-ay)
Now I must say more than ever (too-ra, ta-loo-ra)
Things 'round here have changed
I said, too-ra-loo-ra (come on, Eileen, ta-loo-rye-ay)
Too-ra-loo-rye-ay (come on, Eileen, ta-loo-rye-ay)
(Too-ra, ta-loo-ra)
Come on, Eileen
Oh, I swear (what he means)
At this moment
You mean everything
You in that dress
My thoughts, I confess
Verge on dirty
Ah, come on, Eileen
Come on, Eileen
Oh, I swear (what he means)
At this moment
You mean everything
In that dress
Oh, my thoughts I confess
Well, they're dirty
Come on, Eileen
Come on, Eileen
Whoa (what he means)
Whoa
Ah, come on, Eileen
Oh, believe me
If all those endearing young chums
That I gaze on so fondly today
Were to suddenly leave you, oh fly in the night
Just like fairy gifts gone in the sky
Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira, edited by MinuteWalt, cm035, jamescobalt, ParanoidDroid8, MalachaiSade, deborah305
Come on Eileen Lyrics as written by Kevin Rowland James Paterson
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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@bluelady I'm really surprised many don't see the complex nature of this song. As with many great songs, there are multiple meanings, and not just the obvious one. It may have started about sex, but it sure didn't end up like that. This song is about promising your love to get them out of of the hell of English poverty, and make a better life for themselves.
You know this from the first verse. The reason why they used Johnny Ray, out of all the 50's singer, is because was he was known as the blue caller crooner, who was beloved by working class English women, because of his extreme poverty to riches story. Hence the first verse, and why the song starts out like that.
Then there's the second verse, which makes it far more complex, that has nothing to with just trying to sleep with a young love. Some teenager just looking to "get a leg over" would never say this:
These people round here, wear beaten down eyes Sunk in smoke dried faces, so resigned to what their fate is But not us, no not us, we are far too young and clever (Remember) Toora Loora Toora Loo-Rye-Aye Eileen I'll hum this tune forever
In the 80's to be poor in England was miserable. This song actually ends up being more about using love to get out of poverty, than just sex. The sex part is just the hook to get you to listen and remember it.