"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.
Sing me a song, you're a singer
Do me a wrong, you're a bringer of evil
The Devil is never a maker
The less that you give, you're a taker
So it's on and on and on, it's Heaven and Hell,
Oh well, yeah um
The lover of life's not a sinner
The ending is just a beginner
The closer you get to the meaning
The sooner you know that you're dreaming
So it's on and on and on, oh it's on and on and on
It goes on and on and on, Heaven and Hell
I can tell, fool fool
(Ahhhhh-ah, ahhhhh-ah)
Oh-oh oohh-oohh
(Ahhhhhhhhh-ah)
Yeah yeah yeah-death
Well if it seems to be real, it's illusion
For every moment of truth, there's confusion in life
Love can be seen as the answer, but nobody bleeds for the dancer
And it's on and on, on and on and on...
(Ahhh-ah, ahhhhhhhhh-ah)
They say that life's a carousel
Spinning fast, you gotta ride it well
The world is full of Kings and Queens
Who blind your eyes and steal your dreams
It's Heaven and Hell, oh well
And they'll tell you black is really white
The moon is just the sun at night
And when you walk in golden halls
You get to keep the gold that falls
It's Heaven and Hell, noh no
Fool fool, you got to bleed for the dancer
Fool fool, look for the answer
Fool, fool, fool
Do me a wrong, you're a bringer of evil
The Devil is never a maker
The less that you give, you're a taker
So it's on and on and on, it's Heaven and Hell,
Oh well, yeah um
The lover of life's not a sinner
The ending is just a beginner
The closer you get to the meaning
The sooner you know that you're dreaming
So it's on and on and on, oh it's on and on and on
It goes on and on and on, Heaven and Hell
I can tell, fool fool
(Ahhhhh-ah, ahhhhh-ah)
Oh-oh oohh-oohh
(Ahhhhhhhhh-ah)
Yeah yeah yeah-death
Well if it seems to be real, it's illusion
For every moment of truth, there's confusion in life
Love can be seen as the answer, but nobody bleeds for the dancer
And it's on and on, on and on and on...
(Ahhh-ah, ahhhhhhhhh-ah)
They say that life's a carousel
Spinning fast, you gotta ride it well
The world is full of Kings and Queens
Who blind your eyes and steal your dreams
It's Heaven and Hell, oh well
And they'll tell you black is really white
The moon is just the sun at night
And when you walk in golden halls
You get to keep the gold that falls
It's Heaven and Hell, noh no
Fool fool, you got to bleed for the dancer
Fool fool, look for the answer
Fool, fool, fool
Lyrics submitted by carlos_avdas
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Fast Car
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My reading:
This song is abou the women, and the duality that they brings to a man: Heaven and Hell.