Fast Car Chords – Tracy Chapman

Intro

Cmaj7 G Em D
            x4

Verse 1

Cmaj7          G
You got a fast car.
Em                 D
I want a ticket to anywhere.
Cmaj7           G
Maybe we make a deal,
Em                    D
Maybe together we can get somewhere.
Cmaj7        G
Any place is better.
Em                      D
Starting from zero, got nothing to lose.
Cmaj7            G
Maybe we'll make something,
Em               D
Me myself, I got nothing to prove.

Instrumental

Cmaj7 G Em D
            x2

Verse 2

Cmaj7          G
You got a fast car.
Em              D
I got a plan to get us out of here:
Cmaj7                 G
I been working at the convenience store,
Em                     D
Managed to save just a little bit of money.
Cmaj7                   G
Won't have to drive too far
Em                         D
Just 'cross the border and into the city,
Cmaj7         G
You and I can both get jobs
    Em                  D
And finally see what it means to be living.

Instrumental

Cmaj7 G Em D
            x2

Verse 3

         Cmaj7              G
You see, my old man's got a problem:
   Em                               D
He live with the bottle, that’s the way it is.
   Cmaj7                       G
He says his body's too old for working,
    Em                  D
His body's too young to look like his.
   Cmaj7             G             Em                         D
My mama went off and left him, she wanted more from life than he could give,
        Cmaj7                   G
I said, "Somebody's got to take care of him."
   Em                       D
So I quit school and that's what I did.

Instrumental

Cmaj7 G Em D
            x2

Verse 4

Cmaj7          G
You got a fast car.
          Em                    D
But is it fast enough so we can fly away?
Cmaj7           G
We gotta make a decision:
Em                        D
Leave tonight or live and die this way.

Instrumental

Cmaj7 G Em D
Cmaj7 G Em

Chorus

Em    C                   Em             C
                          *
 So I remember when: we were driving, driving in your car,
    Em                      C
    *
The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk,
Em              C
City lights lay out before us
         Em                    C
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder.
    C   Em    D
And I   had a feeling that I belonged
    C   Em    D                  Em          C           Em
And I   had a feeling I could -- be someone, be someone, be someone.

Instrumental

Cmaj7 G Em D
            x2

Verse 5

Cmaj7          G
You got a fast car.
    Em                D
And we go cruising to entertain ourselves;
Cmaj7                 G
you still ain't got a job
      Em                    D
And I work in a market as a checkout girl.
Cmaj7                  G
I know things will get better:
Em                   D
You'll find work and I'll get promoted,
Cmaj7                 G
We'll move out of the shelter
Em                     D
Buy a bigger house and live in the suburbs.

Instrumental

Cmaj7 G Em D
Cmaj7 G Em

Chorus

Em   C                      Em               C
So I remember when: we were driving, driving in your car,
    Em                        C
The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk,
Em              C
City lights lay out before us
         Em                    C
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder.
    C   Em    D
And I   had a feeling that I belonged
    C   Em    D                  Em          C           Em
And I   had a feeling I could -- be someone, be someone, be someone.

Instrumental

Cmaj7 G Em D
            x2

Verse 6

Cmaj7          G
You got a fast car.
    Em               D
And I got a job that pays all our bills.
Cmaj7                 G
You stay out drinking late at the bar,
        Em                         D
You see more your friends than you do your kids.
Cmaj7                G
I'd always hoped for better,
Em                     D
Thought maybe together you and me would find it,
Cmaj7                  G
I got no plans I ain't going nowhere,
   Em                     D
so take your fast car and keep on driving.

Instrumental

Cmaj7 G Em D
Cmaj7 G Em

Chorus

Em   C                      Em               C
So I remember when: we were driving, driving in your car,
    Em                        C
The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk,
Em              C
City lights lay out before us
         Em                    C
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder.
    C   Em    D
And I   had a feeling that I belonged
    C   Em    D                  Em          C           Em
And I   had a feeling I could -- be someone, be someone, be someone.

Instrumental

Cmaj7 G Em D
            x2

Verse 7

Cmaj7          G
You got a fast car.
          Em                     D
But is it fast enough so you can fly away?
Cmaj7            G
You gotta make a decision:
Em                        D
Leave tonight or live and die this way.

Outro

Cmaj7 G Em D
            x3
Cmaj7 G

*    Some folks prefer G rather than Em, and Em7 instead of Em
**   Song is in key of F#m ? / Dmaj7 ? / A ?