"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.
I believe I met him down in Shamrock, Texas
With empty eyes and pockets full of snow
No need for words, I saw what's coming
He didn't even know which way to go
I took him in my car, we started driving
The golden road to nowhere belonged to us
We did a classic drive in to the sunset
He whispered in my ear "I am your ghost"
And you don't have to run no more
To wake up to a brand new day
Then you will find what you've been looking for
No more running away
No more running away
I have seen the lowest of the low now
I've been to the bottom of the bottomless pit
It's funny how I can't remember how it was there
My humble guess is that I was just so out of it
And I don't want to run no more
To wake up to a brand new day
I wanna find what I've been looking for
No more running away
Get off the bus at The Tower Station
At Spinning Jenny's y'know I will be waiting for you
Some of you get saved by Jesus
Some of you just lay down and give up hope
What I should do about it I'm not sure of
Could it be enough to get some rope?
Then I don't have to run no more
Won't wake up to a brand new day
Maybe I'll find what I've been looking for
No more running away
Get off the bus at The Tower Station
At Spinning Jenny's y'know I will be waiting for you
With empty eyes and pockets full of snow
No need for words, I saw what's coming
He didn't even know which way to go
I took him in my car, we started driving
The golden road to nowhere belonged to us
We did a classic drive in to the sunset
He whispered in my ear "I am your ghost"
And you don't have to run no more
To wake up to a brand new day
Then you will find what you've been looking for
No more running away
No more running away
I have seen the lowest of the low now
I've been to the bottom of the bottomless pit
It's funny how I can't remember how it was there
My humble guess is that I was just so out of it
And I don't want to run no more
To wake up to a brand new day
I wanna find what I've been looking for
No more running away
Get off the bus at The Tower Station
At Spinning Jenny's y'know I will be waiting for you
Some of you get saved by Jesus
Some of you just lay down and give up hope
What I should do about it I'm not sure of
Could it be enough to get some rope?
Then I don't have to run no more
Won't wake up to a brand new day
Maybe I'll find what I've been looking for
No more running away
Get off the bus at The Tower Station
At Spinning Jenny's y'know I will be waiting for you
Lyrics submitted by ShiverForMe
A Brand New Day Lyrics as written by Jonas Frykman
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I really like this song. It could be about a breakup, or just another hard time in the relationship and he just feels like shit.