"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.
I come from a land
So far away
I’ve come to make a living
Then get away
Better prospects here
That’s what they say
Better people here
That’s what they say
Stepping off the boat
With my suitcase in my hand
Be damned by the eyes
Of the immigration man
The purpose of my visit
Is questioned and doubted
Suspicion falls
They don't believe I was invited
Feeling all alone
There aint no place to call home
I’m here in a land
Far from my family
Brought on the wave
Of new opportunity
Come and help the Motherland
Is what they said
Suitcase in my hand
To a foreign land
Stepping down the street
Trying to find my own two feet
Turned away by landlords
Who refuse to let to me
A boarder in a hostel
I’m caged like an animal
The odds were stacked against me
For my own survival
Suspicion in their eyes
Full of mistrust
Living with their lies
And their stereotypes
They’re clearing the way
For a deportation order
They wanna put me on
The first plane home tomorrow
But in their haste
They overlooked my visa
Saddened faces
See that I am Bona Fida
There aint no place to call home
So far away
I’ve come to make a living
Then get away
Better prospects here
That’s what they say
Better people here
That’s what they say
Stepping off the boat
With my suitcase in my hand
Be damned by the eyes
Of the immigration man
The purpose of my visit
Is questioned and doubted
Suspicion falls
They don't believe I was invited
Feeling all alone
There aint no place to call home
I’m here in a land
Far from my family
Brought on the wave
Of new opportunity
Come and help the Motherland
Is what they said
Suitcase in my hand
To a foreign land
Stepping down the street
Trying to find my own two feet
Turned away by landlords
Who refuse to let to me
A boarder in a hostel
I’m caged like an animal
The odds were stacked against me
For my own survival
Suspicion in their eyes
Full of mistrust
Living with their lies
And their stereotypes
They’re clearing the way
For a deportation order
They wanna put me on
The first plane home tomorrow
But in their haste
They overlooked my visa
Saddened faces
See that I am Bona Fida
There aint no place to call home
Lyrics submitted by Psychedeliasmith
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Excellent song about how ever present suspicion short changes honest people. I feel kind of bad about this one, too, 'cuz I was in the bathroom before a KP show, and Babar came in as I was washing my hands and I freaked out and left. But to be fair, Babar is pretty freaky looking.
babar is fucking amazing! haha.he helped me up on stage when i last saw em. ha he is a bit odd lookin..but hey..all the more betterness. aye,