"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.
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice at the church where a wedding has been,
Lives in a dream.
Sits by the window, wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door,
Who is it for?
All the lonely people, where do they all belong?
All the lonely people, where do they all come from?
Father McKenzie, writing the words of a sermon that no-one will hear,
No-one comes near
Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there,
What does he care?
All the lonely people, where do they all belong?
All the lonely people, where do they all come from?
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name.
Nobody came.
Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave.
No-one was saved.
All the lonely people, where do they all belong?
All the lonely people, where do they all come from?
All the lonely people, where do they all belong?
All the lonely people,
All the lonely people, where do they all come from?
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice at the church where a wedding has been,
Lives in a dream.
Sits by the window, wearing a face that she keeps in a jar by the door,
Who is it for?
All the lonely people, where do they all belong?
All the lonely people, where do they all come from?
Father McKenzie, writing the words of a sermon that no-one will hear,
No-one comes near
Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there,
What does he care?
All the lonely people, where do they all belong?
All the lonely people, where do they all come from?
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name.
Nobody came.
Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave.
No-one was saved.
All the lonely people, where do they all belong?
All the lonely people, where do they all come from?
All the lonely people, where do they all belong?
All the lonely people,
All the lonely people, where do they all come from?
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