"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.
Hey, Jude, don't make it bad,
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
Hey, Jude, don't be afraid,
You were made to go out and get her.
The minute you let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better.
And anytime you feel the pain,
Hey, Jude, refrain,
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that it's a fool
Who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.
Da da da da da da da da da.
Hey, Jude, don't let me down,
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin,
You're waiting for someone to perform with.
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude you'll do,
The movement you need is on your shoulder.
Da da da da da da da da da.
Hey, Jude, don't make it bad,
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better
Better, better, better, better ohhuh!
Hey Jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
Hey, Jude, don't be afraid,
You were made to go out and get her.
The minute you let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better.
And anytime you feel the pain,
Hey, Jude, refrain,
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.
For well you know that it's a fool
Who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder.
Da da da da da da da da da.
Hey, Jude, don't let me down,
You have found her, now go and get her.
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better.
So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin,
You're waiting for someone to perform with.
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude you'll do,
The movement you need is on your shoulder.
Da da da da da da da da da.
Hey, Jude, don't make it bad,
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her under your skin,
Then you begin to make it better
Better, better, better, better ohhuh!
Hey Jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Nah, ... na, na, nananana ... nananana, hey jude
Lyrics submitted by Ice, edited by UnixWiz, ParanoidRocker, Joanton120, zoinkzurdead
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Fast Car
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Interesting reading all the stuff above. I've never heard of this song being about julian lennon before now. I heard that it was written about John's aunt Jude, who looked after him while he starteed the beatles. The song is a thank you for giving him somewhere to live and providing for him as he struggled as a musician