"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.
BACK AND FORTH, T.V. TO SCHOOL, THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE YOU KNOW
THEY'RE THE ONLY THINGS THAT FEED YOU WHAT YOU THINK, YOU NEED TO GROW
IN THE MEANTIME, WASHINGTON'S CONCERNED WITH OVERSEAS
ESTABLISHING (THROUGH CORPORATE INTEREST) FOREIGH POLICIES
GET OFF THE BUS, WALK THROUGH THE DOOR, A LATCHKEY KID ALONE
THE T.V. IS ON AS SOON AS YOU SET FOOT IN YOUR HOME
TODAY IS DIFFERENT, NEWS IS ON INSTEAD OF NORMAL SHOWS
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, PERSIAN GULF. NOW KIDS SEE KOSOVO
U.S. ARMY, CHANNEL 4
HOW CAN YOU TRUST ANYONE WHO'S TELEVISED A WAR
OIL, POWER, CHANNEL 3
THERE'S ENTERTAINMENT VALUE IN THE MILITARY
INVESTORS INCREASE PROFIT MARGIN, NETWORKS BOOST THEIR RATINGS
PROTEST TURNS TO CELEBRATION AND DISAPPROVAL IS FADING
THOUSANDS DIE, BUT WAR IS PROFIT AMERICA IS GRINNING
T.V. DINNERS, FAT WITH PRIDE AND THINKING WE ARE WINNING
WATCH FOR OUR PROSPERITY
WATCH FOR OUR ECONOMY
WATCH US DIE ON T.V.
WATCH US KILL HUMANITY
BACK AND FORTH, T.V. TO SCHOOL, THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE YOU KNOW
THEY'RE THE ONLY THINGS THAT FEED YOU WHAT YOU THINK, YOU NEED TO GROW
SO IF YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO LEARN THE MORALS OF MODERN WAR
THEN SIT THEM DOWN AT HOME AND THEY'LL TUNE INTO CHANNEL 4
THEY'RE THE ONLY THINGS THAT FEED YOU WHAT YOU THINK, YOU NEED TO GROW
IN THE MEANTIME, WASHINGTON'S CONCERNED WITH OVERSEAS
ESTABLISHING (THROUGH CORPORATE INTEREST) FOREIGH POLICIES
GET OFF THE BUS, WALK THROUGH THE DOOR, A LATCHKEY KID ALONE
THE T.V. IS ON AS SOON AS YOU SET FOOT IN YOUR HOME
TODAY IS DIFFERENT, NEWS IS ON INSTEAD OF NORMAL SHOWS
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, PERSIAN GULF. NOW KIDS SEE KOSOVO
U.S. ARMY, CHANNEL 4
HOW CAN YOU TRUST ANYONE WHO'S TELEVISED A WAR
OIL, POWER, CHANNEL 3
THERE'S ENTERTAINMENT VALUE IN THE MILITARY
INVESTORS INCREASE PROFIT MARGIN, NETWORKS BOOST THEIR RATINGS
PROTEST TURNS TO CELEBRATION AND DISAPPROVAL IS FADING
THOUSANDS DIE, BUT WAR IS PROFIT AMERICA IS GRINNING
T.V. DINNERS, FAT WITH PRIDE AND THINKING WE ARE WINNING
WATCH FOR OUR PROSPERITY
WATCH FOR OUR ECONOMY
WATCH US DIE ON T.V.
WATCH US KILL HUMANITY
BACK AND FORTH, T.V. TO SCHOOL, THERE'S NOT MUCH ELSE YOU KNOW
THEY'RE THE ONLY THINGS THAT FEED YOU WHAT YOU THINK, YOU NEED TO GROW
SO IF YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO LEARN THE MORALS OF MODERN WAR
THEN SIT THEM DOWN AT HOME AND THEY'LL TUNE INTO CHANNEL 4
Lyrics submitted by punkrockcrap
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