"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.
Say, where did I see this guy?
In "Red River"?
Or a "Place In The Sun"?
Maybe "The Misfits"?
Or "From Here To Eternity"?
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "What's he like?"
And everybody say, "He sure looks funny"
That's Montgomery Clift, honey
New York, New York, 42nd Street
Hustlers rustle and pimps pimp the beat
Monty Clift is recognized at dawn
He ain't got no shoes and his clothes are torn
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "What's he like?"
And everybody say, "He sure look funny"
That's that Montgomery Clift, honey
I see a car smashed at night
Cut the applause and dim the light
Monty's face is broken on a wheel
Is he alive? Can he still feel?
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "Shine a light"
And everybody say, "It's not funny"
That's Montgomery Clift, honey
Shoot his right profile
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "What's he like?"
And everybody say, "He sure look funny"
That's Montgomery Clift, honey
Nembutol numbs it all
But I prefer alcohol
And everybody say, "What's he like?"
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "He sure look funny"
That's Montgomery Clift, honey!
He said go out and get me my old movie stills
Go out and get me another roll of pills
There I go again shaking, but I ain't got the chills
And everybody say, "What's he like?"
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "He sure looks funny"
I was trapped, Montgomery Clift, honey
In "Red River"?
Or a "Place In The Sun"?
Maybe "The Misfits"?
Or "From Here To Eternity"?
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "What's he like?"
And everybody say, "He sure looks funny"
That's Montgomery Clift, honey
New York, New York, 42nd Street
Hustlers rustle and pimps pimp the beat
Monty Clift is recognized at dawn
He ain't got no shoes and his clothes are torn
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "What's he like?"
And everybody say, "He sure look funny"
That's that Montgomery Clift, honey
I see a car smashed at night
Cut the applause and dim the light
Monty's face is broken on a wheel
Is he alive? Can he still feel?
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "Shine a light"
And everybody say, "It's not funny"
That's Montgomery Clift, honey
Shoot his right profile
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "What's he like?"
And everybody say, "He sure look funny"
That's Montgomery Clift, honey
Nembutol numbs it all
But I prefer alcohol
And everybody say, "What's he like?"
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "He sure look funny"
That's Montgomery Clift, honey!
He said go out and get me my old movie stills
Go out and get me another roll of pills
There I go again shaking, but I ain't got the chills
And everybody say, "What's he like?"
And everybody say, "Is he all right?"
And everybody say, "He sure looks funny"
I was trapped, Montgomery Clift, honey
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Ebba Grön
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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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.
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i'm pretty sure Montgomery Clift was an actor, and guy stevens convinced joe to write this song about him, and sound drunk while he sings it, adding to the effect