"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.
I've seen love go by my door
It's never been this close before
Never been so easy or so slow
I've been shooting in the dark too long
When somethin's not right it's wrong
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
Dragon clouds so high above
I've only known careless love
It always has hit me from below
But this time around it's more correct
Right on target, so direct
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
Purple clover, Queen Anne lace
Crimson hair across your face
You could make me cry if you don't know
Can't remember what I was thinkin' of
You might be spoilin' me too much, love
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
Flowers on the hillside, bloomin' crazy
Crickets talkin' back and forth in rhyme
Blue river runnin' slow and lazy
I could stay with you forever
And never realize the time
Situations have ended sad
Relationships have all been bad
Mine have been like Verlaine's and Rimbaud
But there's no way I can compare
All them scenes to this affair
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
You're gonna make me wonder what I'm doin'
Stayin' far behind without you
You're gonna make me wonder what I'm sayin'
You're gonna make me give myself a good talkin' to
I'll look for you in old Honolul-a
San Francisco, Ashtabula
You're gonna have to leave me now, I know
But I'll see you in the sky above
In the tall grass, in the ones I love
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
It's never been this close before
Never been so easy or so slow
I've been shooting in the dark too long
When somethin's not right it's wrong
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
Dragon clouds so high above
I've only known careless love
It always has hit me from below
But this time around it's more correct
Right on target, so direct
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
Purple clover, Queen Anne lace
Crimson hair across your face
You could make me cry if you don't know
Can't remember what I was thinkin' of
You might be spoilin' me too much, love
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
Flowers on the hillside, bloomin' crazy
Crickets talkin' back and forth in rhyme
Blue river runnin' slow and lazy
I could stay with you forever
And never realize the time
Situations have ended sad
Relationships have all been bad
Mine have been like Verlaine's and Rimbaud
But there's no way I can compare
All them scenes to this affair
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
You're gonna make me wonder what I'm doin'
Stayin' far behind without you
You're gonna make me wonder what I'm sayin'
You're gonna make me give myself a good talkin' to
I'll look for you in old Honolul-a
San Francisco, Ashtabula
You're gonna have to leave me now, I know
But I'll see you in the sky above
In the tall grass, in the ones I love
You're gonna make me lonesome when you go
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Sigh. I adore this song. I'm not sure why - Dylan's done much 'deeper' stuff - but it's so vivid and romantic without being vomit-inducing, probably because it's not a relationship that's going to last forever. The titular refrain, and "It's never looked this close before" - i.e. it's a near miss, but not in a sad sense. It's pleasurable and meaningful but not a lifetime thing.
I was told that when Dylan was writing 'Blood on the tracks' the planned for it to be his last album, and althought the songs have their other meanings they all related to how he felt about leaving the music industry, for example 'Idiot wind' showed bitterness about some of the things that happened to him during his career, but this song is him just saying that he also appreciates some stuff that music has done for him.
This is a beautiful song. Although not my favorite overall, it does end with my favorite Bob Dylan line:
But I'll see you in the sky above, In the tall grass, in the ones I love, Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go.
Perfection!
The transistion from the end of the third verse to the beginning of the middle 8 is so masterful "You're gonna make me a'lonesome when you go.. flowers on the hillside blooming crazy". Great stuff.
this is one of the most beautiful, unassuming songs he ever wrote. that last verse is as close to perfect as he ever got--nothing more than it needs to be, but everything it should be. It's like, I know you gotta go, and that's alright because I'll be seeing you and thinking about you all the time. Unsurpassed beauty.
ya i really love this song, awesome imagery. i find its just a really simple, easy to enjoy song.
OMG that SO relates to me right now.
the madeleine peyroux cover of this song is amazing
Gotta love Dylan, The only person I know who could successfully rhyme Honolulu and Ashtabula. The man's a freaking genius
much of dylans post drug era stuff is so much clearer i sometimes listening to a song that you don't have to dissect is just fun and relaxing, this site ruined just tuning out to music for me.