"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.
You know I'm sorry if you misunderstood
But your confusion is a bit overdone
I was only in to do it good
I was only in to have some fun
I went out of my way to get this bad
And you still don't get how far
But now I'm back! I'm new!
And it's a wonderful thing
But you still don't get how things are
Not superstition - I'm talking hideous kinky
No, not religion - I'm talking serious oobe
Not science fiction - I'm talking horrible freaky
Yeah, all the stuff you don't believe in
Well, that stuff is for real
Got myself a change of life
Got myself a change of style
Got myself a new direction
Got myself a reason why
I just fell right out of my face one day
And I took it as a sign from God
And now I'm feeling good
And I'm moving up
And I've got to do it now
Yeah, I'm sorry if you misunderstood
But your condition is a touch overplayed
I was only in to do it good
I was only in to get it made
I went way out of my way to get this bad
And you still don't get how far
And now I'm back! I'm new!
And it's a wonderful thing
But you still don't get how things are
Not superstition - I'm talking hideous kinky
No, not religion - I'm talking serious oobe
Not science fiction - I'm talking horrible freaky
Yeah, all the stuff you don't imagine
Well, it's happening to me
Got myself a change of life
Got myself a change of style
Got myself a new direction
Got myself a reason why
I just fell right out of my face one day
And I took it as a sign from God
But your confusion is a bit overdone
I was only in to do it good
I was only in to have some fun
I went out of my way to get this bad
And you still don't get how far
But now I'm back! I'm new!
And it's a wonderful thing
But you still don't get how things are
Not superstition - I'm talking hideous kinky
No, not religion - I'm talking serious oobe
Not science fiction - I'm talking horrible freaky
Yeah, all the stuff you don't believe in
Well, that stuff is for real
Got myself a change of life
Got myself a change of style
Got myself a new direction
Got myself a reason why
I just fell right out of my face one day
And I took it as a sign from God
And now I'm feeling good
And I'm moving up
And I've got to do it now
Yeah, I'm sorry if you misunderstood
But your condition is a touch overplayed
I was only in to do it good
I was only in to get it made
I went way out of my way to get this bad
And you still don't get how far
And now I'm back! I'm new!
And it's a wonderful thing
But you still don't get how things are
Not superstition - I'm talking hideous kinky
No, not religion - I'm talking serious oobe
Not science fiction - I'm talking horrible freaky
Yeah, all the stuff you don't imagine
Well, it's happening to me
Got myself a change of life
Got myself a change of style
Got myself a new direction
Got myself a reason why
I just fell right out of my face one day
And I took it as a sign from God
Lyrics submitted by oofus, edited by Mellow_Harsher
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