"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.
Well, that'll be the day, when you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day, when you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die
Well, you give me all your loving and your turtle doving
All your hugs and kisses and your money too
Well, you know you love me, baby, still you tell me maybe
That some day, well, I'll be through
Well, that'll be the day, when you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day, when you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die
Well, that'll be the day, when you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day, when you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die
Well, when Cupid shot his dart he shot it at your heart
So if we ever part and I leave you
You sit and hold me and you tell me boldly
That some day, well, I'll be through
Well, that'll be the day, when you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day, when you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die
Well, that'll be the day, hoo-hoo
Well, that'll be the day, hoo-hoo
Well, that'll be the day, hoo-hoo
Well, that'll be the day
Yes, that'll be the day, when you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die
Well, you give me all your loving and your turtle doving
All your hugs and kisses and your money too
Well, you know you love me, baby, still you tell me maybe
That some day, well, I'll be through
Well, that'll be the day, when you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day, when you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die
Well, that'll be the day, when you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day, when you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die
Well, when Cupid shot his dart he shot it at your heart
So if we ever part and I leave you
You sit and hold me and you tell me boldly
That some day, well, I'll be through
Well, that'll be the day, when you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day, when you make me cry
You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie
'Cause that'll be the day when I die
Well, that'll be the day, hoo-hoo
Well, that'll be the day, hoo-hoo
Well, that'll be the day, hoo-hoo
Well, that'll be the day
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
That'll Be the Day Lyrics as written by Jerry Allison Buddy Holly
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Word Collections Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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Since I wrote the post, I have read that the name of the plane was not American Pie, (thanks to snopes) and Don McLean did not name the song after Miss America. The other two people in the plane were Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson. And Im sure this is true but Valens switched with Waylen Jennings to go on the plane.
@PlutonianDoll Valens bugged Jennings all night to take his seat because he had never been on a plane.Jennings finally flipped the coin near the end of the night and Valens won the toss.