"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.
you take me for granted
you don't even know i sing this song
you say everybody left you
but dont you know, i've been here all along
you say i'm just a kid
do you want to end up by yourself?
you've helped me out before
but now you're tearing at my health
standing above me with your axe
waiting for your chance to let it drop
dont you know some day you're on your own
can't you, won't you ever make it stop?
is this what you wanted?
he's nicer now than ever before
you say you dont need me now
well it's seems to me that you should need me more
you know just what he did
and what he's doing now, thats true
you say you dont need me now?
well who's gonna care when he's done with you?
standing above me with your axe
waiting for your chance to let it drop
dont you know some day you're on your own
can't you, won't you ever make it stop?
what do you want from me?
why can't you let me be?
when will you change your ways?
where are the better days?
i've known you from day one
you were the one that was always there
and for that i thank you,
you did your job, you did more than care
you know i'm just a kid
you dont want me to end up in your shoes
you share my pain with me and if you could
you'd take away my blues
standing above me with your axe
waiting for your chance to let it drop
dont you know some day you're on your own
can't you, won't you ever make it stop?
you don't even know i sing this song
you say everybody left you
but dont you know, i've been here all along
you say i'm just a kid
do you want to end up by yourself?
you've helped me out before
but now you're tearing at my health
standing above me with your axe
waiting for your chance to let it drop
dont you know some day you're on your own
can't you, won't you ever make it stop?
is this what you wanted?
he's nicer now than ever before
you say you dont need me now
well it's seems to me that you should need me more
you know just what he did
and what he's doing now, thats true
you say you dont need me now?
well who's gonna care when he's done with you?
standing above me with your axe
waiting for your chance to let it drop
dont you know some day you're on your own
can't you, won't you ever make it stop?
what do you want from me?
why can't you let me be?
when will you change your ways?
where are the better days?
i've known you from day one
you were the one that was always there
and for that i thank you,
you did your job, you did more than care
you know i'm just a kid
you dont want me to end up in your shoes
you share my pain with me and if you could
you'd take away my blues
standing above me with your axe
waiting for your chance to let it drop
dont you know some day you're on your own
can't you, won't you ever make it stop?
Lyrics submitted by jewmanji
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Fast Car
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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I think this song is awesome...he has some great lyrics and you can tell within his voice that his emotions go into this song. There's only one thing about this song that boggles me....at times i think he's singing in reference to his mother...and then at others an ex-girlfriend. You know by chance? I would probably like this song even more if I did know for sure
i dont completely know what he's singing about. i think maybe hes talking about a close friend whos treating him like shit now and he wants her to know shes in a meaningless relationship. of course this song sounds sad like all the others but with the upbeat catchyness its a damn good tune. I love these guys
"you take me for granted you don't even know i sing this song"