"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.
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
But when I crawl into your arms
Everything, it comes tumbling down
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Your face has fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
We talk about it all night long
We define our moral ground
But when I crawl into your arms
Everything, it comes tumbling down
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Your face has fallen sad now
For you know the time is nigh
When I must remove your wings
And you, you must try to fly
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Come loose your dogs upon me
And let your hair hang down
You are a little mystery to me
Every time you call around
Come sail your ships around me
And burn your bridges down
We make a little history baby
Every time you come around
Lyrics submitted by typo, edited by trillium8, sara102081
Ship Song Lyrics as written by Roland Wolf Blixa Bargeld
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I wrote the song because Anita and i would argue at a constant pace and I would always tell her to unleash the dogs and burn the bridges as a way of saying you can say what you feel but forget the past and let's move forward. in an argument one always has to stand down until the other quits. this cleans off the slate. the first verse contemplates arguing all night long until one gives in and they embrace each other and start over. this was not one of my "dark" songs. I write what I feel and I was not feeling "dark". if you want "dark" then immerse yourself into murder ballads. thank you
Nicholas Edward Cave
@thestaggerlee couldn't have put it better myself, big sox<br />
@thestaggerlee <br /> <br /> It´s a beautiful song the world owes you for it!
@thestaggerlee <br /> Thanks for the song Nick...and for elaborating on it's meaning. <br /> I was with a person that 'unleashed the dogs upon me' way too many times. I stood by hoping she would come around. She couldn't 'burn the bridges down'...it ended after 36 years...so I could keep my sanity. Now she does have to grow her wings after fearing for so long that I would stand my ground.<br /> Today, I stand my ground.
@thestaggerlee Nick - thank you for your commentary- from the horses mouth as such. Beautiful - leash your dogs upon me - yes a character flaw!