"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.
Written by James Young
Lead Vocals by James Young
murolceS odrO suvoN sitpeoC tiunnA
What the devil's goin' on
Why don't your turn that music down
You're going deaf and that's for sure
But all you do is scream for more
Get the lead out go for broke
Pop your pills and drink and smoke
Shoot those chemicals into your vein
Anything to ease the pain
Heavy metal (heavy metal) poisoning (it's a poison)
A toxic wasteland (got a toxic wasteland) in your ear canal (in your ear canal!)
Overloaded (I'm overloaded), suffering (yeah!)
Overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs
Everything is black and white
You are wrong and we are right
First we'll spank your big behinds
Then we'll twist your little minds
I'm Dr. Righteous (I'm Dr. Righteous), and I'm here to sing (yeah!)
That heavy metal (heavy metal) is poisoning
It's a music wasteland, that destroys the young (yeah!)
They're overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs
And rock and roll!
sterces eht sdloh nataS
I'm Dr. Righteous (I'm Dr. Righteous), and I'm here to sing (yeah!)
That heavy metal (heavy metal) is poisoning
It's a music wasteland, that destroys the young (yeah!)
They're overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs
And rock and roll!
Heavy metal (heavy metal) poisoning (it's a poison)
A toxic wasteland (got a toxic wasteland) in your love canal love canal!)
Overloaded (I'm overloaded), suffering (yeah!)
Overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs
sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs
"Righteous! Righteous!..."
"Shut up!"
"...Righteous! Righteous! Righteous! Righteous! Righteous! Yeah!"
"Shut up! Shut up!"
[giggles]
Lead Vocals by James Young
murolceS odrO suvoN sitpeoC tiunnA
What the devil's goin' on
Why don't your turn that music down
You're going deaf and that's for sure
But all you do is scream for more
Get the lead out go for broke
Pop your pills and drink and smoke
Shoot those chemicals into your vein
Anything to ease the pain
Heavy metal (heavy metal) poisoning (it's a poison)
A toxic wasteland (got a toxic wasteland) in your ear canal (in your ear canal!)
Overloaded (I'm overloaded), suffering (yeah!)
Overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs
Everything is black and white
You are wrong and we are right
First we'll spank your big behinds
Then we'll twist your little minds
I'm Dr. Righteous (I'm Dr. Righteous), and I'm here to sing (yeah!)
That heavy metal (heavy metal) is poisoning
It's a music wasteland, that destroys the young (yeah!)
They're overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs
And rock and roll!
sterces eht sdloh nataS
I'm Dr. Righteous (I'm Dr. Righteous), and I'm here to sing (yeah!)
That heavy metal (heavy metal) is poisoning
It's a music wasteland, that destroys the young (yeah!)
They're overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs
And rock and roll!
Heavy metal (heavy metal) poisoning (it's a poison)
A toxic wasteland (got a toxic wasteland) in your love canal love canal!)
Overloaded (I'm overloaded), suffering (yeah!)
Overloaded (overloaded) on sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs
sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs, sex and drugs
"Righteous! Righteous!..."
"Shut up!"
"...Righteous! Righteous! Righteous! Righteous! Righteous! Yeah!"
"Shut up! Shut up!"
[giggles]
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I'M WITH YOU TOO, OS WAS HERE!