"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.
We've been here for several days
Wastin ourselves away
More than now
Well I gave you everything
You left me as a broken man
Are you happy now? (Are you happy now?)
Well I never thought that I would be the one
To let you down
It's cold outside, I need the warmth
That I felt in my lover's arms but she's gone
She's gone away
And left me here without a sound
Oh, you know I've got my pain
It's my pain
But I never thought that I would be the one
That's been wasting time recently
You were on my mind yesterday
When you said, "Easy comes as easy goes"
That's the way you want to show
Not wasting time over it
I took a trip to Los Angeles
To see what the hell was going on
I woke up to a Petty song
Reminding me to stay strong
Because everything consumed her this way
Darling, you know that's what they'll say
So bring yourself to me
Come and let me see
Cause I know I could be the one
You want my pride to know
If where I stand is home
And if the answers' shows
The open road is calling
And I won't be the one that's been wasting time recently
You're still on my mind every day
And I know, "Easy comes as easy goes"
That's the way I'm going to show
I won't waste my time over it
No, I won't waste my time over it
No, I won't waste my time over it
No, I won't waste my time
Wastin ourselves away
More than now
Well I gave you everything
You left me as a broken man
Are you happy now? (Are you happy now?)
Well I never thought that I would be the one
To let you down
It's cold outside, I need the warmth
That I felt in my lover's arms but she's gone
She's gone away
And left me here without a sound
Oh, you know I've got my pain
It's my pain
But I never thought that I would be the one
That's been wasting time recently
You were on my mind yesterday
When you said, "Easy comes as easy goes"
That's the way you want to show
Not wasting time over it
I took a trip to Los Angeles
To see what the hell was going on
I woke up to a Petty song
Reminding me to stay strong
Because everything consumed her this way
Darling, you know that's what they'll say
So bring yourself to me
Come and let me see
Cause I know I could be the one
You want my pride to know
If where I stand is home
And if the answers' shows
The open road is calling
And I won't be the one that's been wasting time recently
You're still on my mind every day
And I know, "Easy comes as easy goes"
That's the way I'm going to show
I won't waste my time over it
No, I won't waste my time over it
No, I won't waste my time over it
No, I won't waste my time
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