"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.
When we were young, the future was so bright (whoa)
The old neighborhood was so alive (whoa)
And every kid on the whole damn street (whoa)
Was gonna make it big and not be beat
Now the neighborhood's cracked and torn (whoa)
The kids are grown up but their lives are worn (whoa)
How can one little street swallow so many lives?
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams, go
Jamie had a chance, well, she really did (whoa)
Instead she dropped out and had a couple of kids (whoa)
Mark still lives at home 'cause he's got no job (whoa)
Just plays guitar and smokes a lot of pot
Jay committed suicide (whoa)
Brandon OD'd and died (whoa)
What the hell is going on?
The cruelest dream, reality
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams, go
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams
The old neighborhood was so alive (whoa)
And every kid on the whole damn street (whoa)
Was gonna make it big and not be beat
Now the neighborhood's cracked and torn (whoa)
The kids are grown up but their lives are worn (whoa)
How can one little street swallow so many lives?
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams, go
Jamie had a chance, well, she really did (whoa)
Instead she dropped out and had a couple of kids (whoa)
Mark still lives at home 'cause he's got no job (whoa)
Just plays guitar and smokes a lot of pot
Jay committed suicide (whoa)
Brandon OD'd and died (whoa)
What the hell is going on?
The cruelest dream, reality
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams, go
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams
Lyrics submitted by spitfirek7, edited by UndeadFan112
The Kids Aren't Alright Lyrics as written by Bryan Keith Holland
Lyrics © ROUND HILL CARLIN, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fast Car
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Well, this song's name plays on the title of the song, "The Kids Are Alright" from the Who in the 60's. Which is about a father neglecting his kids and his wife (maybe a divorce). So, I think they Offspring had this in mind when they wrote this song. Parents aren't "parenting" and they're letting their kids get screwed up. I can certainly relate with that. My parents sucked and kicked me out on the street the day after my 18th birthday. Same with my brother, and many of my past friends. It's a wonder that I didn't get addicted to hard drugs like them. This is one messed up society.