"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.
Used to chase that boy home from school
We called him freckled faced red headed fool
He was different he wasn't cool like me
Sticks and stones didn't break any bones
Bet we never left well enough alone
And one day he ran away from home you see
And I passed him as he walked away
And in his eyes I heard him say
"One of these days you're gonna love me
You'll sit down by yourself and think
About the times you pushed and shoved me
And what good friends we might've been
And then you're gonna sigh a little
Maybe even cry a little but
One of these days you're gonna love me"
Patty Sue was a small town beauty
I took one look at her and had to pull her to me
Lord knows she should've seen right through me
When I promised her the world
But at seventeen, you only want one thing
I left her standin' there with my high school ring
Innocent tears in the pourin' rain
As I walked away
And I still see her in my dreams
And to this day she's whispering
"One of these days you're gonna love me
You'll sit down by yourself and think
About the time you turned from me
And what good friends we might've been
And then you're gonna sigh a little
Maybe even cry a little but
One of these days you're gonna love me"
Now everybody stands up
The congregation sings
It's a song of sweet forgiveness
And as the chorus rings
The wind blows clear my memory
The pages start to turn
Then suddenly I'm singin'
The moment that I learn
One of these days I'm gonna love me
And feel the joy of sweet release
One of these days, I'll rise above me
And at last I'll find some peace
Then I'm gonna smile a little
Maybe even laugh a little but
One of these days I'm gonna love me
We called him freckled faced red headed fool
He was different he wasn't cool like me
Sticks and stones didn't break any bones
Bet we never left well enough alone
And one day he ran away from home you see
And I passed him as he walked away
And in his eyes I heard him say
"One of these days you're gonna love me
You'll sit down by yourself and think
About the times you pushed and shoved me
And what good friends we might've been
And then you're gonna sigh a little
Maybe even cry a little but
One of these days you're gonna love me"
Patty Sue was a small town beauty
I took one look at her and had to pull her to me
Lord knows she should've seen right through me
When I promised her the world
But at seventeen, you only want one thing
I left her standin' there with my high school ring
Innocent tears in the pourin' rain
As I walked away
And I still see her in my dreams
And to this day she's whispering
"One of these days you're gonna love me
You'll sit down by yourself and think
About the time you turned from me
And what good friends we might've been
And then you're gonna sigh a little
Maybe even cry a little but
One of these days you're gonna love me"
Now everybody stands up
The congregation sings
It's a song of sweet forgiveness
And as the chorus rings
The wind blows clear my memory
The pages start to turn
Then suddenly I'm singin'
The moment that I learn
One of these days I'm gonna love me
And feel the joy of sweet release
One of these days, I'll rise above me
And at last I'll find some peace
Then I'm gonna smile a little
Maybe even laugh a little but
One of these days I'm gonna love me
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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dang i feel like the patty sue in this song right now.. my high school sweetheart just left me cause he kissed another woman and was afraid he would do more or wouldnt quit what he had already done... but one of these days...