"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.
Until we kissed, I never knew
The thrills that could be tasted
Until we kissed, I never knew
The years that I had wasted
But now I know
I was waiting for you to come by
I was waiting, girl
Won't you please tell me why
This took so long to begin
Darling, where have you been all my life?
Oh, don't you know that 'til we touched
I never knew the touch was worth revealing
Until we touched
I never knew my heart was really beating
But now I know
I was waiting for you to come by
I was waiting
Won't you please tell me why
This took so long to begin
Darling, where have you been all my life?
Oh, darling
Where have you been
Where you been
Where you been
When I was feeling blue
Where have you been
Where you been
Where you been
When I was needing you
Oh, where you been
Where you been
Where you been
Now don't you know
I was waiting for you to come by
I was waiting, girl
Won't you please tell me why
This took so long to begin
Darling, where have you been all my life?
Oh, darling
Where have you been
Where you been
Where you been
When I was feeling blue
Feeling blue
Where have you been
Where you been
Where you been
When I was needing you
Oh, where you been
Where you been
The thrills that could be tasted
Until we kissed, I never knew
The years that I had wasted
But now I know
I was waiting for you to come by
I was waiting, girl
Won't you please tell me why
This took so long to begin
Darling, where have you been all my life?
Oh, don't you know that 'til we touched
I never knew the touch was worth revealing
Until we touched
I never knew my heart was really beating
But now I know
I was waiting for you to come by
I was waiting
Won't you please tell me why
This took so long to begin
Darling, where have you been all my life?
Oh, darling
Where have you been
Where you been
Where you been
When I was feeling blue
Where have you been
Where you been
Where you been
When I was needing you
Oh, where you been
Where you been
Where you been
Now don't you know
I was waiting for you to come by
I was waiting, girl
Won't you please tell me why
This took so long to begin
Darling, where have you been all my life?
Oh, darling
Where have you been
Where you been
Where you been
When I was feeling blue
Feeling blue
Where have you been
Where you been
Where you been
When I was needing you
Oh, where you been
Where you been
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