"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.
Why don't you write me
I'm out in the jungle
I'm hungry to hear you.
Send me a card,
I am waiting so hard
To be near you.
(La, la, la)
Why don't you write?
Something is wrong
And I know I got to be there.
Maybe I'm lost,
But I can't make the cost
Of the airfare, ooh
Tell me why (Why)
Tell me why (Why)
Why don't you write me,
A letter would brighten
My loneliest evening.
Mail it today
If it's only to say
That you're leaving me.
(La, la, la)
Monday morning, sitting in the sun
Hoping and wishing for the mail to come.
Tuesday, never got a word,
Hm
Wednesday, Thursday, ain't no sign,
Drank a half a bottle of iodine.
Friday, woe is me
Gonna hang my body from the highest tree.
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
I'm out in the jungle
I'm hungry to hear you.
Send me a card,
I am waiting so hard
To be near you.
(La, la, la)
Why don't you write?
Something is wrong
And I know I got to be there.
Maybe I'm lost,
But I can't make the cost
Of the airfare, ooh
Tell me why (Why)
Tell me why (Why)
Why don't you write me,
A letter would brighten
My loneliest evening.
Mail it today
If it's only to say
That you're leaving me.
(La, la, la)
Monday morning, sitting in the sun
Hoping and wishing for the mail to come.
Tuesday, never got a word,
Hm
Wednesday, Thursday, ain't no sign,
Drank a half a bottle of iodine.
Friday, woe is me
Gonna hang my body from the highest tree.
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
Why don't you write me?
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You're on meth. This sounds nothing like reggae. The music industry would be a lot worse off if Paul Simon had taken your advice.
Well, it's obvious that this IS an experiment with reggae elements. Not defending the original comment, though.
Obviously this song has the perspective of a soldier in 'Nam. He's out in the jungle and his wife/gf isn't writing him anymore. Common occurance. "Cost of the airfare" is probably getting wounded badly enough for a medical discharge. Drinking iodine to make the water safe to drink...
Medical discharge. Sounds perfect.
An incompetent attempt at white reggae, with pointless and self-pitying lyrics. Go on - hang yourself then, you whining git...
That is just an insult to music itself! You are obviously too incompetent to realise that the man has close to changed the world with his music. Think of "Bridge over troubled water" and of course "Graceland" - The album that changed the way we look at 'World Music'. He has built barriers with music, connecting alien societies in love and brotherhood during times of racial tension. Besides, it's not even that 'reggae' - i'd class it as more folksy perhaps with blues and pop elements - Paul Simon's style is of course very varied.