"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.
Have I ever told you
I was once quite the ladies man
My suits were Italian
My color vermillion
My words soft as satin
The language of love
My life was the movies
And I was the leading man
The dashing romantic
With a touch of the tragic
My profile was perfect
And the language was love
Yes, sir, Mr. Barrymore
You must have been something back then
They must have been wonderful years
And they won't come again
Yes sir, Mr. Barrymore
Can I pour you another?
The women were lovely
In the flickering Hollywood light
Of course, there was Garbo
And Dietrich and Harlow
The look was come hither
And the language was love
And my God! the parties
The nights were as bright as the days
The air smelled like honey
The stars shone like money
In the roar of the twenties
The language was love
Yes sir, Mr. Barrymore
You must have been something back then
They must have been wonderful years
And they won't come again
Yes sir, Mr. Barrymore
One more on the rocks?
This was a gay town
As wild and as free as the night
We lived with abandon
We loved with a passion
We were storybook heroes
In the language of love
But what was I saying?
Where has everyone gone
Quickly bartender
Pour me another
Better make it a double
One more for the road
Yes sir, Mr. Barrymore
Are you sure you can make it alright
yes the bar's closing down
Better call it a night
Yes sir, Mr. Barrymore
Let me call you a cab
I was once quite the ladies man
My suits were Italian
My color vermillion
My words soft as satin
The language of love
My life was the movies
And I was the leading man
The dashing romantic
With a touch of the tragic
My profile was perfect
And the language was love
Yes, sir, Mr. Barrymore
You must have been something back then
They must have been wonderful years
And they won't come again
Yes sir, Mr. Barrymore
Can I pour you another?
The women were lovely
In the flickering Hollywood light
Of course, there was Garbo
And Dietrich and Harlow
The look was come hither
And the language was love
And my God! the parties
The nights were as bright as the days
The air smelled like honey
The stars shone like money
In the roar of the twenties
The language was love
Yes sir, Mr. Barrymore
You must have been something back then
They must have been wonderful years
And they won't come again
Yes sir, Mr. Barrymore
One more on the rocks?
This was a gay town
As wild and as free as the night
We lived with abandon
We loved with a passion
We were storybook heroes
In the language of love
But what was I saying?
Where has everyone gone
Quickly bartender
Pour me another
Better make it a double
One more for the road
Yes sir, Mr. Barrymore
Are you sure you can make it alright
yes the bar's closing down
Better call it a night
Yes sir, Mr. Barrymore
Let me call you a cab
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Barrymore Remembers Lyrics as written by David Charles Olney
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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