"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.
The time is near
So near it's stirring the blood in their veins!
And yet beware
Don't let the wine go to your brains!
We need a sign
To rally the people
To call them to arms
To bring them in line!
Marius, wake up!
What's wrong today?
You look as if you've seen a ghost
Some wine and say what's going on!
A ghost you say, a ghost maybe
She was just like a ghost to me
One minute there, then she was gone!
I am agog!
I am aghast!
Is Marius in love at last?
I've never heard him ooh and aah
You talk of battles to be won
And here he comes like Don Juan
It is better than an opera!
It is time for us all
To decide who we are
Do we fight for the right
To a night at the opera now?
Have you asked of yourselves
What's the price you might pay?
Is it simply a game
For a rich young boy to play?
The colors of the worlds
Are changing day by day
Red, the blood of angry men!
Black the dark of ages past!
Red, a world about to dawn!
Black, the night that ends at last!
Had you seen her today
You might know how it feels
To be struck to the bone
In a moment of breathless delight!
Had you been there today
You might also have known
How the world may be changed
In just one burst of light!
And what was right seems wrong
And what was wrong seems right!
Red I feel my soul on fire!
Black, my world if she's not there!
Red, the color of desire!
Black, is the color of despair!
Marius, you're no longer a child
I do not doubt you mean it well
But now there is a higher call
Who cares about your lonely soul?
We strive towards a larger goal
Our little lives don't count at all!
Red, the blood of angry men!
Black, the dark of ages past!
Red, a world about to dawn!
Black, the night that ends at last!
Listen everybody!
General Lamarque is dead!
Lamarque! His death is the hour of fate
The people's man
His death is the sign we await!
On his funeral day they will honor his name
With the light of rebellion ablaze in their eyes
With their candles of grief we will kindle our flame
On the tomb of Lamarque shall our barricade rise
The time is here!
Let us welcome it gladly with courage and cheer
Let us take to the streets with no doubt in our hearts
But a jubilant shout
They will come one and all
They will come when we call!
So near it's stirring the blood in their veins!
And yet beware
Don't let the wine go to your brains!
We need a sign
To rally the people
To call them to arms
To bring them in line!
Marius, wake up!
What's wrong today?
You look as if you've seen a ghost
Some wine and say what's going on!
A ghost you say, a ghost maybe
She was just like a ghost to me
One minute there, then she was gone!
I am agog!
I am aghast!
Is Marius in love at last?
I've never heard him ooh and aah
You talk of battles to be won
And here he comes like Don Juan
It is better than an opera!
It is time for us all
To decide who we are
Do we fight for the right
To a night at the opera now?
Have you asked of yourselves
What's the price you might pay?
Is it simply a game
For a rich young boy to play?
The colors of the worlds
Are changing day by day
Red, the blood of angry men!
Black the dark of ages past!
Red, a world about to dawn!
Black, the night that ends at last!
Had you seen her today
You might know how it feels
To be struck to the bone
In a moment of breathless delight!
Had you been there today
You might also have known
How the world may be changed
In just one burst of light!
And what was right seems wrong
And what was wrong seems right!
Red I feel my soul on fire!
Black, my world if she's not there!
Red, the color of desire!
Black, is the color of despair!
Marius, you're no longer a child
I do not doubt you mean it well
But now there is a higher call
Who cares about your lonely soul?
We strive towards a larger goal
Our little lives don't count at all!
Red, the blood of angry men!
Black, the dark of ages past!
Red, a world about to dawn!
Black, the night that ends at last!
Listen everybody!
General Lamarque is dead!
Lamarque! His death is the hour of fate
The people's man
His death is the sign we await!
On his funeral day they will honor his name
With the light of rebellion ablaze in their eyes
With their candles of grief we will kindle our flame
On the tomb of Lamarque shall our barricade rise
The time is here!
Let us welcome it gladly with courage and cheer
Let us take to the streets with no doubt in our hearts
But a jubilant shout
They will come one and all
They will come when we call!
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I just love the interaction between the Amis de l'ABC in this song.
Enjolras is quite wonderfully in character, too, as is Marius: perfectly wonder-struck. "Who cares about your lonely soul?/We strive towards a larger goal/Our little lives don't count at all." -- pretty much sums up Enjolras for you.