"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.
Her face is cracked from smiling
All the fears that she's been hiding
And it seems that pretty soon, everybody's gonna know
And her voice is sore from shouting
Cheering winners who are losing
And she worries if their days are few and soon they'll have to go
My, my, my, I'm so happy
I'm gonna join the band
We gonna dance and sing in celebration
We are in the promised land
She hears them talk of new ways
To protect the home she lives in
Then she wonders what it's all about when they break down the door
Her name is brown or white or black
You know her very well
You hear her cries of mercy as the winners toll the bell
My my my I'm so happy
We gonna join the band
We are gonna dance and sing in celebration
We're in the promised land
Oh, there is a train that leaves the station
Heading for your destination
But the price you pay to nowhere has increased a dollar more
Yes, it has!
And if you walk you're gonna get there
And though it takes a little longer
And when you see it in the distance you will wring your hands and moan
Oh yeah, you'll moan
Oh, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah, you'll moan, you'll moan
You're g-gone, you're g-gone, yeah-yea
You're g-gone
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my you are gone
You're gone
My, my, my
You're gonna, gonna get there, it's just a little longer
And when you see him in the distance you will wave your hand
All the fears that she's been hiding
And it seems that pretty soon, everybody's gonna know
And her voice is sore from shouting
Cheering winners who are losing
And she worries if their days are few and soon they'll have to go
My, my, my, I'm so happy
I'm gonna join the band
We gonna dance and sing in celebration
We are in the promised land
She hears them talk of new ways
To protect the home she lives in
Then she wonders what it's all about when they break down the door
Her name is brown or white or black
You know her very well
You hear her cries of mercy as the winners toll the bell
My my my I'm so happy
We gonna join the band
We are gonna dance and sing in celebration
We're in the promised land
Oh, there is a train that leaves the station
Heading for your destination
But the price you pay to nowhere has increased a dollar more
Yes, it has!
And if you walk you're gonna get there
And though it takes a little longer
And when you see it in the distance you will wring your hands and moan
Oh yeah, you'll moan
Oh, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah, you'll moan, you'll moan
You're g-gone, you're g-gone, yeah-yea
You're g-gone
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my you are gone
You're gone
My, my, my
You're gonna, gonna get there, it's just a little longer
And when you see him in the distance you will wave your hand
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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I love roadrunners comments. I'm reading along, reading along, and all of a sudden, "Pact with Satan". Always brings a smile.