"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're selling postcards of the hanging
They're painting the passports brown
The beauty parlor is filled with sailors
The circus is in town here comes the blind commissioner
They've got him in a trance one hand is tied to the tight-rope walker
The other is in his pants and the riot squad they're restless
They need somewhere to go as Lady and I look out tonight
From Desolation Row.
Cinderella, she seems so easy
"It takes one to know one," she smiles
And puts her hands in her back pockets
Bette Davis style and in comes Romeo, he's moaning
"You Belong to Me I Believe"
And someone says, "You're in the wrong place, my friend
You Better leave" and the only sound that's left
After the ambulances go is Cinderella sweeping up
On Desolation Row
Now the moon is almost hidden the stars are beginning to hide
the fortune telling lady Has even taken all her things inside
All except for Cain and Abel and the hunchback of Notre Dame
Everybody is making love or else expecting rain
And the Good Samaritan, he's dressing he's getting ready for the show
He's going to the carnival tonight
On Desolation Row
Now Ophelia, she's neath the window for her I feel so afraid
On her twenty-second birthday she already is an old maid
To her, death is quite romantic she wears an iron vest
Her profession's her religion her sin is her lifelessness
And though her eyes are fixed upon Noah's great rainbow
She spend her time peeking
Into Desolation Row
Einstein disguised as Robin Hood with his memories in a trunk
Passed this way an hour ago with his friend, a jealous monk
He looked so immaculately frightful as he bummed a cigarette
As he went off sniffing drainpipes and reciting the alphabet
Now you would not think to look at him but he was famous long ago
For playing the electric violin
On Desolation Row
Dr. Filth, he keeps his world inside of a leather cup
But all his sexless patients they're trying to blow it up
Now his nurse, some local loser she's in charge of the cyanide hole
And she also keeps the cards that read "Have Mercy on His Soul"
They all play on the penny whistles you can hear then blow
If you lean your head out far enough
From Desolation Row
They're painting the passports brown
The beauty parlor is filled with sailors
The circus is in town here comes the blind commissioner
They've got him in a trance one hand is tied to the tight-rope walker
The other is in his pants and the riot squad they're restless
They need somewhere to go as Lady and I look out tonight
From Desolation Row.
Cinderella, she seems so easy
"It takes one to know one," she smiles
And puts her hands in her back pockets
Bette Davis style and in comes Romeo, he's moaning
"You Belong to Me I Believe"
And someone says, "You're in the wrong place, my friend
You Better leave" and the only sound that's left
After the ambulances go is Cinderella sweeping up
On Desolation Row
Now the moon is almost hidden the stars are beginning to hide
the fortune telling lady Has even taken all her things inside
All except for Cain and Abel and the hunchback of Notre Dame
Everybody is making love or else expecting rain
And the Good Samaritan, he's dressing he's getting ready for the show
He's going to the carnival tonight
On Desolation Row
Now Ophelia, she's neath the window for her I feel so afraid
On her twenty-second birthday she already is an old maid
To her, death is quite romantic she wears an iron vest
Her profession's her religion her sin is her lifelessness
And though her eyes are fixed upon Noah's great rainbow
She spend her time peeking
Into Desolation Row
Einstein disguised as Robin Hood with his memories in a trunk
Passed this way an hour ago with his friend, a jealous monk
He looked so immaculately frightful as he bummed a cigarette
As he went off sniffing drainpipes and reciting the alphabet
Now you would not think to look at him but he was famous long ago
For playing the electric violin
On Desolation Row
Dr. Filth, he keeps his world inside of a leather cup
But all his sexless patients they're trying to blow it up
Now his nurse, some local loser she's in charge of the cyanide hole
And she also keeps the cards that read "Have Mercy on His Soul"
They all play on the penny whistles you can hear then blow
If you lean your head out far enough
From Desolation Row
Lyrics submitted by itsmyownmind
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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Originally written by Bob Dylan, which is the reason it's so hard to decipher. I think it means even though we think theese people he mentions are so great, they feel like they are on the outside looking into the lives of happier people, and they are envious.
Yeah, seriously - here's where the comments are (rightly so) - on the page for this song as a Dylan song (which it is): songmeanings.net/songs/view/1110/