"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, it was all
that I could do to keep from cryin'.
Sometimes, it seemed so useless to remain,
but you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'.
You never even call me by my name.
You don't have to call me Waylon Jennings,
and you don't have to call me Charlie Pride,
and you don't have to call me Merle Haggard anymore
even though you're on my fightin' side.
And, I'll hang around as long as you will let me,
and I never minded standing in the rain,
but you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'.
you never even called me by my name.
Well, I've heard my name
a few times in your phone book (Hello, Hello),
and I've seen it on signs where I have played,
but the only time I know
I'll hear, "David Allen Coe,"
is when Jesus has his final judgement day.
And, I'll hang around as long as you will let me,
and I never minded standing in the rain,
but you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'.
you never even called me by my name.
Recitation:
Well, a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song.
And, he told me it was the perfect Country & Western song
I wrote him back a letter, and I told him it was not the perfect Country & Western song, because he hadn't said anything at about mama,
or trains,
or trucks,
or prison,
or gettin' drunk.
Well, he sat down and wrote another verse to the song,
and he sent it to me,
and after reading it,
I realized that my friend had written the perfect Country & Western song.
And, I felt obliged to include it on this album.
The last verse goes like this here:
Well, i was drunk the day my mom got out of prison,
and I went to pick her up in the rain,
but before I could get to the station in my pickup truck,
she got runned over by a damned old train.
And, I'll hang around as long as you will let me.
And, I never minded standin' in the rain.
No, a' you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'.
You never even call me...
Well, I wonder why you don't call me.
Why don't you ever call me by my name?
that I could do to keep from cryin'.
Sometimes, it seemed so useless to remain,
but you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'.
You never even call me by my name.
You don't have to call me Waylon Jennings,
and you don't have to call me Charlie Pride,
and you don't have to call me Merle Haggard anymore
even though you're on my fightin' side.
And, I'll hang around as long as you will let me,
and I never minded standing in the rain,
but you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'.
you never even called me by my name.
Well, I've heard my name
a few times in your phone book (Hello, Hello),
and I've seen it on signs where I have played,
but the only time I know
I'll hear, "David Allen Coe,"
is when Jesus has his final judgement day.
And, I'll hang around as long as you will let me,
and I never minded standing in the rain,
but you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'.
you never even called me by my name.
Recitation:
Well, a friend of mine named Steve Goodman wrote that song.
And, he told me it was the perfect Country & Western song
I wrote him back a letter, and I told him it was not the perfect Country & Western song, because he hadn't said anything at about mama,
or trains,
or trucks,
or prison,
or gettin' drunk.
Well, he sat down and wrote another verse to the song,
and he sent it to me,
and after reading it,
I realized that my friend had written the perfect Country & Western song.
And, I felt obliged to include it on this album.
The last verse goes like this here:
Well, i was drunk the day my mom got out of prison,
and I went to pick her up in the rain,
but before I could get to the station in my pickup truck,
she got runned over by a damned old train.
And, I'll hang around as long as you will let me.
And, I never minded standin' in the rain.
No, a' you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'.
You never even call me...
Well, I wonder why you don't call me.
Why don't you ever call me by my name?
Lyrics submitted by iconnu, edited by Mellow_Harsher
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Hell, I think it's a great song to sing when you're stone cold sober... you just couldn't get me to do it in public without a few drinks...
Truly the perfect country & western song.