"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 am just an aging drummer boy
And in the wars I used to play
And I've called the tune to many a torture session
Now they say I am a war criminal
And I'm fading away
Father, please hear my confession
I have legalized robbery
Called it belief
I have run with the money
I have hid like a thief
Rewritten history with armies and my crooks
Invented memories
I did burn all the books
And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong
Well, I've tried to be meek
I have tried to be mild
But I spat like a woman
And I sulked like a child
I have lived behind walls that have made me alone
Striven for peace
Which I never have known
And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong
Well, the sun rose on the courtyard
And we all did hear him say
"You always was a Judas,
But I got you anyway.
You may have got your silver
But I swear upon my life
Your sister gave me diamonds
And I laid down with your wife."
Oh father, please help me
For I have done wrong
The man's too big
The man's too strong
And in the wars I used to play
And I've called the tune to many a torture session
Now they say I am a war criminal
And I'm fading away
Father, please hear my confession
I have legalized robbery
Called it belief
I have run with the money
I have hid like a thief
Rewritten history with armies and my crooks
Invented memories
I did burn all the books
And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong
Well, I've tried to be meek
I have tried to be mild
But I spat like a woman
And I sulked like a child
I have lived behind walls that have made me alone
Striven for peace
Which I never have known
And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong
Well, the sun rose on the courtyard
And we all did hear him say
"You always was a Judas,
But I got you anyway.
You may have got your silver
But I swear upon my life
Your sister gave me diamonds
And I laid down with your wife."
Oh father, please help me
For I have done wrong
The man's too big
The man's too strong
Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by OtterSpotter, KoosG
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Fast Car
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I tend to agree with the Nazi war criminal theme mentioned. The references are many eg. the Nazis burned books, legalising robbery included re-appropriating Jews'(particularly) possessions such as gold.
And of course, don't forget that Knopfler is Jewish so would empathise.