"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.
'kay, this one's for Gabby
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
And the dreams that you dream of once in a lullaby, oh
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dream of
Dreams really do come true, ooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top
That's where you'll find me, oh
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dare to
Oh why, oh why can't I? I
Well, I see trees of green and red roses too
I'll watch then bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Well, I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white
And the brightness of day, I like the dark
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
I see friends shakin' hands saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying, "I, I love you"
I hear babies cry and I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than we'll know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world, world
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top
That's where you'll find me, oh
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
And the dreams that you dare to
Why, oh why can't I? I
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ugh, ugh, ugh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
And the dreams that you dream of once in a lullaby, oh
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dream of
Dreams really do come true, ooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top
That's where you'll find me, oh
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
And the dreams that you dare to
Oh why, oh why can't I? I
Well, I see trees of green and red roses too
I'll watch then bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Well, I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white
And the brightness of day, I like the dark
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
I see friends shakin' hands saying, "How do you do?"
They're really saying, "I, I love you"
I hear babies cry and I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than we'll know
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world, world
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top
That's where you'll find me, oh
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
And the dreams that you dare to
Why, oh why can't I? I
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ugh, ugh, ugh
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Fast Car
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Ed Sheeran
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This version is amazing! I first heard in 50 first dates and loved it straight away. It's gorgeous and his voice just makes me want to listen to it 20 times every time! It's also one of those songs that can cheer me up when i'm down. It helps me to realise that theres something good on the other side waiting for me to find and not just dark clouds following me all the time.