"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.
The evening began as a positive swaret
And my abode was 4-2-0 G.
But little did I know that in the very next apartment
There'd be trouble on the brew for me!
Ubiquitous I wish I could be
Because the clock cuts short my own day!
One hundred things to do before I rest my sore ass
Upon the cushion that supports my array!
Can this be?
Trouble!
So if I may, slip you a tip.
You'd best stay away from 4-2-1.
Trouble!
So get high the green way.
So get by the green way, yes!
I knocked upon their door
In hopes of bidding them their welcome
And instead I was caught by an eye.
His pupil was wide open
Kinda like a liquor barn at 3:00.
It was indoubadoubly dose derived.
It was then that they took me
And shined their light between my eyes.
He said "What are ya new?
Why are you here? What's the catch?
Why not explain in clear? Why you're peaking around?"
I wish I could've just kept to my own.
My hospitality has been too well spent and I've paid my rent!
I should've kept my thoughts, on who might've been inside
So that my mind could sit and delude my pride!
I beg my common sense to keep my
Neighbor out away from my front door
Until I find a way
To hide myself from those in 4-2-1, one
..one away from the good one.
And my abode was 4-2-0 G.
But little did I know that in the very next apartment
There'd be trouble on the brew for me!
Ubiquitous I wish I could be
Because the clock cuts short my own day!
One hundred things to do before I rest my sore ass
Upon the cushion that supports my array!
Can this be?
Trouble!
So if I may, slip you a tip.
You'd best stay away from 4-2-1.
Trouble!
So get high the green way.
So get by the green way, yes!
I knocked upon their door
In hopes of bidding them their welcome
And instead I was caught by an eye.
His pupil was wide open
Kinda like a liquor barn at 3:00.
It was indoubadoubly dose derived.
It was then that they took me
And shined their light between my eyes.
He said "What are ya new?
Why are you here? What's the catch?
Why not explain in clear? Why you're peaking around?"
I wish I could've just kept to my own.
My hospitality has been too well spent and I've paid my rent!
I should've kept my thoughts, on who might've been inside
So that my mind could sit and delude my pride!
I beg my common sense to keep my
Neighbor out away from my front door
Until I find a way
To hide myself from those in 4-2-1, one
..one away from the good one.
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Fast Car
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just realized...its about him moving into a new apartment and him talking to his new neighbors in apartment 421 and they became nosey after him talking with him so now he has to hide his smoking of pot...its about him wishing he never tried to know his neighbors