Hon you talked over the key point! She decides to dump the loser and tells him, "Take your fast car and keep on driving."

@michaelkelley4521

9 ай бұрын

That's it. She married someone who had the same demons as her father. Heartbreak of a song. "So take your fast car and keep on driving."

I was born and raised in little town Indiana and, at 18, I moved from crappy, low paying job to crappy low paying job. I looked around and saw that I did not want to live and die this way. I found my "fast car" in the Army, lived all over the world, married the love of my life overseas (35 years now), and achieved a Bachelors, a Masters, and a Doctorate. Always loved this song. Go find your fast car.

Tracy is easily one of greatest musical story tellers of a generation. In truth, this song is an unmatched masterpiece.

Tracy is criminally underrated as a genius and powerful songwriter and performer.

I've loved this for 30 years. The message of having dreams but being unable to rise because of the crushing weight of poverty and lack of opportunity is arguably more relevant today than when it was written.

@benjaminroe311ify

Жыл бұрын

Yeah this song is and was probably relevant in EVERY age of time. But more so in the age of drugs, cars, and capitalist society.

@thomasmacdiarmid8251

Жыл бұрын

But the protagonist had a good plan, except it required a reliable partner. However, she linked up with someone that was as useless as her father. It is a human failure that we often tend to recreate the problems we grew up with. ​ @Benjamin Roe None of those things is really the problem. Drugs, perhaps, but there have always been drugs that people mess themselves up with, which is why the Bible and the Koran include warnings against such abuse. But more broadly, people have prevented their progress by distractions fro time immemorial. The car is a concrete symbol of finding an escape from one's problems, but the solution is in oneself. And your reference to capitalism is at best a non sequitur. As Bono has recognized, nothing has lifted more people pout of poverty than free market capitalism.

@loadedorygun

Жыл бұрын

Yeah I think this is a lot more about seeking a life partner to help get them out together, and that partner not being up to the task.

@LadyAstarionAncunin

Жыл бұрын

It was always relevant for black folks, though, so, equally relevant for us.

@jacksonbrown4112

Жыл бұрын

​@@LadyAstarionAncunin It was always relevant for poor any one.

If there was a Nobel Price for singer/songwriters, Tracy would deserve one. This "cry" of breaking out and yet that guitar riff, which is like a loop that indicates there won't be an outbreak, is pure poetry. A perfect combination of words and music.

My friend John Denver once shared with me that Tracy was his favorite singer and that "if I were born in her circumstances I might have written and sung songs like hers."

I don't care if you like metal, bluegrass or pop, Fast Car by Tracy Chapman is an amazing song! its so thick with emotions, yet so beautifully simple.

Tracy is fire and she never got the Recognition she deserved

@williamslater-vf5ym

2 ай бұрын

She had several hits and was widely recognized as a great singer/songwriter in the time period. She was kind of a big deal in the 90s. There are a lot of artists like that.

@SBel65

2 ай бұрын

The whole album was fire!

@alanfulcher460

2 ай бұрын

@@williamslater-vf5ymyeah people knew who she was lol. I grew up in the middle of nowhere and heard “Gimme One Reason” about 10,000 times

This whole album is gorgeous. It was Massive in the 80's. She was part of a whole group of female singer- songwriters who came out around the same time. This song is so special and heartbreaking. I still have this on CD and will NEVER part with it. ❤

@jimiewilliams7623

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, I bought a lot of those albums, 10,000 Maniacs, Suzanne Vega, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Sinead O'Connor, The Sugar Cubes and of course, Kate Bush.

@thejorgeee

Жыл бұрын

Even before Tracy in the 80s there was Joan Armatrading from the 70s. Numerous songs , but you have to listen to "Love and Affection"...BUT listen to album version versus live. Featuring great male voice included in album version.

@alanaduran9045

Жыл бұрын

Great comment! And love every response. All parties are correct.❤

@kevinfarrell3121

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely one of the greatest records in music history

@jduncanandroid

Жыл бұрын

Tracy and Linda Perry are top on my list from this era for songwriting

when I first started learning english, this was one of my "go to" albums. And to this day, I'm still amazed how almost no one notices that at the end Tracy changes "WE gotta make a decision" to "YOU gotta manke a decision". To me that's such a major part of these lyrics . after all they've been through she finaly got rid of of his influence, therefor "YOU gotta make a decision" , because she made her's

Tracy, she is such a beautiful soul!!

Tracy is a women, and one of the best singers and most unique sounds ive ever heard, it’s angelic

Tracy is Fire. Everything she sings has substance , and she is an amazing storyteller. Please, please listen to more of her music; Talkin' About a Revolution, Give Me One Reason, Baby Can I hold, The Promise, Telling Stories and so many more!!!!

@rickwelch8464

Жыл бұрын

Tin Man and Heaven's Here on Earth are fantastic

@corawheeler9355

Жыл бұрын

'New Beginning' live in Paris ... Tracy plays a didgeridoo

@garyjacobs1183

Жыл бұрын

She and Pavarotti also have an excellent duet.

@corawheeler9355

Жыл бұрын

@@garyjacobs1183 And a "Thrill Is Gone" duet with BB King

@marilynshealy2010

Жыл бұрын

Tracy is awesome ❤ Please listen to "give me One Reason". That one song hooked me on her music forever. And the music video of that song is great.

The thing about Tracy Chapman is that her voice sounds like almost none of the technical elements you find in a lot of modern music. But it's crystal clear that pieces of her soul are woven through every note that she ever sings. And you can't do anything except just sit and let the emotion she's sharing wash over and through you. I'm not much one for spirituality, but listening to Tracy is a legit spiritual experience.

@Kim-xm8uh

Жыл бұрын

yes! what Ro said!!!

@jice7074

Жыл бұрын

In today's business they would filter her voice to oblivion.

@horizonblack

Жыл бұрын

"I'm not much one for spirituality, but listening to Tracy is a legit spiritual experience." It is. I have legit hate for religion, but Traci does something that makes my bleak heart thaw.

@elwray3506

Жыл бұрын

@@jice7074 Don´t underestimate artists. No serious musician would sign a deal that would force them to bend over like this.

@alanmiller9700

Жыл бұрын

I think so underrated

She is dreaming of getting away from her dreary life, but they seem just dreams. It's such a powerful song

@alanmiller9700

Жыл бұрын

One of best songs from Traci

The beauty of the song is the full circle it takes. At first, she sings 'we gotta make a decision" and the last verse "you gotta make a decision". In the song, she goes from wanting to run away with him to envisioning how life would be with him and it's not what she wants so then she says he has to go.

@leine8999

Жыл бұрын

And her husband is on the way to become a drunk as her father? Stays out with the boys, sees them more then her and their children. That´s why he has to decide, how he wants to live. With the buddies or the family. That´s how I understand it at least. Not saying it can´t be both, but family should be the first.

@Richarddraper

Жыл бұрын

It's beautiful songwriting. It takes us all the way from beginning to end and about to start the whole cycle again. I've sometimes wondered if she had Bruce Springsteen's Thunder Road and Born To Run in her mind when she wrote this. It seems to be be a female and real world perspective on those songs.

@Gothguy1961

Жыл бұрын

Exactly...many people miss that part.

@meanmax9663

Жыл бұрын

Spot-on!

@Scary__fun

Жыл бұрын

@@leine8999 Yes, "take your fast car and keep on driving" is not celebratory, it's telling her partner that she no longer feels the fantasy life of being with him and he better drive away from her as she's done with him.

This song was such a standout when it first came out in an era of synthesizers and drum machines. It brought back the singer-songwriter storytelling vibe of the early 1970's it's completely timeless, perfect song.

I just Love her. She is such an amazing artist. So many great songs from this album, which I still have

It’s hard to overstate how different this song was on the radio when it came on the first time. Brilliant is a great word to use.

@FloraWest

Жыл бұрын

Right? I remember wondering how it even got on the air. Did it get big on college radio first? That was sometimes how great less corporate stuff got on radio.

@alanfulcher460

2 ай бұрын

@@FloraWestI’ve never really thought much about it but it really is crazy that she broke into the mainstream, for so many reasons. But according to her wiki she was fortunate enough to be going to the same school as Brian Koppelman, and the rest is history. Good for her

@FloraWest

2 ай бұрын

Ah! Well glad he used his power for good.@@alanfulcher460

Tracy Chapman is an exceptional singer and song writer. Her music hits so hard, beautiful yet haunting. Her 1988 album “Tracy Chapman” is an absolute classic! Enjoy and shed a tear along the way.

'Leave tonight or live and die this way' 😢 No matter how many times I've heard her, never fails to make my eyes glisten.

the best part of your videos is when you sing along with the songs you have just heard... it means you have got to the heart of the song

Classic song. Never understand why it isn't celebrate more for its ability to tell such an emotional story. 😭

This is a great performance, and the studio version is also great. Tracy was a breath of fresh air when she hit the scene in the late 80s.

It is the combination of sadness, desperation and hopefulness that are blended with a beautiful, understated tune, that makes this song so good.

Why a movie from the premise of this song was never made is beyond me. The lyrics created a picture story in my mind so clear. It does carry you away as it plays. PURE TIMELESS!!

The song is brilliant. I never get tired of hearing it! It’s haunting the pain she’s singing about. I’ve gotta change my life now!!!!

Tracy is an amazing singer and songwriter. I'm a classic rock, hard rock, and heavy metal guy but I truly appreciate her talents. I love her music. We need more artists like her today.

She is one of a group of singers with truly unique voices. Another is Suzanne Vega. You should try Suzanne’s song My Name Is Luka.

A country singer just covered this song making Tracy Chapman the first Queen songwriter for a #1 country song in the charts. I'm not a King, but I shed tears when I read that. Loved this song for decades. ❤

This song was a favourite of Elaine ,who I cared for for 19 years .She knew the words , always sang along She had mental health issues all her life but never gave up, worked, always always looked for better. ALWAYS thought the best of people ..like Tracey Chapmans song.

Tracy is a female. Another song of hers that's lesser known is "Crossroads." I recommend giving it a listen.

Tracy Chapman ..... Across The Lines Sorry My Mountains Of Things Talking About A Revolution

Tracy Chapman is a beautiful and powerful artist. She should be much more widely known by the current generation. Her music is timeless.

I was a senior in high school when this song dropped and everyone - rap fans, metal heads, Deadheads, rednecks, etc. - loved it. One of those special authentic songs that come along that just spoke to everyone. Still does some 35 years later.

I always put Tracy in the same category of great American singer-songwriters as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. Every song on this album and her 'New Beginnings' LP are incredibly well-crafted. Both are on my playlists for long road trips where I can listen to their entirety. Her soulfully plaintive voice just reaches directly into your soul.

@nunya2171

Жыл бұрын

That's the difference between being able to write a catchy tune that is forgotten in 5 years, and the truly great song writers that resonate decades later, Tracy is definitely in that category.

@barn_ninny

11 ай бұрын

Agreed. New Beginnings is one of the great albums ever recorded.

@theboyisnotright6312

8 ай бұрын

Bob Dylan is pretty heavy company. Their style is very different. Traci's voice is so expressive. She emotes everything in her voice. Heard this song on the radio when I was driving thru a Minnesota blizzard. Things slowly turning white. It hit me different. Thank you Tracy😊

This song brings two others to mind, both very different. Joni Mitchell's The River evokes the same kind of melancholia. "I wish I had a river I could skate away on." And The Animals singing We Gotta Get Outta This Place evokes the same desperation. "My little girl you're so young and pretty. One thing I know is true, you'll be dead before your time is due."

I was lucky enough to listen to this when I was a teenager and I can say now that it did help me rise up.

If anyone ever asked me who my favorite female artist was… Tracy Chapman would be the answer every single time

You should definitely check out her performing this at the Nelson Mandela tribute show back in ‘88. She’s standing in front of thousands of people performing with only a mic and guitar and she has the whole audience with her!

@johnburton4577

Жыл бұрын

Always stuck in my mind how she came on (I think following a big act) and seemed a bit awestruck by the occasion. Then the crowd quickly quietened down and became awestruck by her performance - and she then gained confidence. That was my first introduction to her. What a class act, and what an album too.

@cadyanne94

11 ай бұрын

@@johnburton4577 she went on twice. the second time was because some of Stevie Wonder's equipment (I think a CD of samples he needed) went missing and he refused to go on. She stepped in at the last minute to perform again as filler until the next act. The crowd was rowdy and then immediately silent when she started to sing.

Yes, Tracy is a treasure. I’m from Belgium and I know and love this song, still know the lyrics by heart. It was such a hit all over the world and anybody who’s a little older will probably have heard it. Next maybe “ give me one reason “

"take your fast car and keep on driving…" fantastic song

She is a national treasure! This song always gives me goosebumps! You should check out her song, "Give Me One Reason" next...though one can't fo wrong with any of her songs😊

Same category as Jim Croce in storytelling and heart. Absolutely adore her.❤ (she tells him to take a fast car and keep on driving I think, it’s the cycle, she ended up differently than she hoped)

My absolute favourite artist of all time.. her songwriting & storytelling abilities and Tonality in her lower register cuts right to my soul when she sings.. she has them perfect imperfections in her Tone that is everything for me. She is a prime example of a Timeless Artist.. check out her songs, Cross Road & I’m Ready, Be Carful Of My Hart, trust me, your going to need it in your playlist. Tracy Chapman is just the truth. If Angelina covers any of Tracy Chapmans storytelling songs, I’ll probably pass Out.. it will be a Musical Match Made in Heaven.

Update: I hope you saw/will see her sing this on the Grammy’s in a duet with Luke Combs who recorded his own version of it last year-and got a lot of flak for it even though she granted him rights to sing it, and he grew up loving it.

Tracy is a legend, I for years wasn't sure about the sex/gender either, but she's a woman. My mother loves this song

Another singer I put in the same category is Joan Armatrading. Worth checking out.

This song reminds me of the desperation of wanting to have a different life, dreams of living normally to be with the one you love, have jobs that make you smile, having a couple of kids, surrounding your lives in peace & love ❤.

Tracy Chapman was a revelation. A unique voice and sound with a message.

Back in the 80s, I was a hard rock/heavy metal guy. All my buddies were the same. It was all Ozzy, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motley Crue, etc... all the time. But every single one of us got deep into Tracy Chapman. There was just something about her songwriting, playing and singing, that was just so simple yet brilliant.

This album changed my life and everything I thought about what good songwriting was supposed to be. She totally blew me away. I still play songs from this album to this day. Thanks Britt!

This song is amazingly written. It's a song about optimism and hope, but how even our best attempts to start over can end up in a similar cycle as to what we tried to leave. It's such a real song, but it's also so sad because it shows how other people can drag us down and have such a control over our lives when all we're trying to do is be better. It's great that the song ends with her telling the dead weight to get in his car and leave. This song has many layers--it's quite brilliant.

Talkin' about a revolution is a must. Tracy Chapman is such a recognisable artist.

As a young man in middle school I never appreciated how great this song is and how talented Tracy Chapman is until I got Older.

Fast Car was an instant classic when it was releast in the spring of 1988. And the young, shy and humble Tracy was catapulted from nowhere into the world stage of music in just a few weeks.

Tracy Chapman was a POWERFUL story-teller from the 80's ... SO many amazing songs which touched people's souls. It was rhythmic... it was tribal... it spoke to people. "Mountains O'Things" is a personal favorite

This is one of the greatest songs ever written

If the song Fast Car, as Tracy Chapman sings it, doesn't touch your heart, then you're not human. Other singers have tried to cover it, but no one can sing it like Tracey. She is a National Treasure.

The recorded version of the song is a bit faster. This hit single was from her 1988 debut album, which was a sensation and won her several Grammys. She was also voted Best New Artist. Since then her output has been sporadic but still effective. She's a very private person. She was involved in a long term relationship with author Alice Walker. Another superb song from that album is "Baby Can I Hold You." (Which she also performed live in a beautiful duet with opera singer Pavarotti.) Later on in the '90s she had a hit with the bluesy rocker "Give Me One Reason."

@kathrynstafford7099

Жыл бұрын

She wanted to put the song" Give me one reason", on an earlier album but the record company did not want it.

@terminallumbago6465

11 ай бұрын

It’s ironic that she was in a relationship with the author of “The Color Purple”, which has many of the same themes of a woman rising out of a terrible relationship to start a new life.

In the last verse she’s telling him to get in his car and leave because she’s paying all the bills whilst he is unemployed, hangs out in the bars, and sees his friends more than his kids… so sad… And relatable. I adore this song and your reactions. Give me one reason is another great one from her.

@ryanmartin4053

Жыл бұрын

Is she talking about her alcoholic father she was taking care of? Or a boyfriend/significant other?

@yazilliclick

Жыл бұрын

@@ryanmartin4053 The boyfriend that she ran away with. The story told in the song is they ran away but he basically never held up his end and fell into bad habits. In that way it's very much a circle of being back in similar situation to what she original ran away from with her father. That's life.

@Kaddywompous

Жыл бұрын

@@ryanmartin4053 Both. Her mother left her father, and later she leaves her SO for the same reason. The fast car gives her a glimmer of hope and wholeness that she can never hold on to as the cycle continues. 😢

@NewFalconerRecords

Жыл бұрын

@@Kaddywompous Spot on. It's a masterclass in songwriting.

@gork8468

Жыл бұрын

@@Kaddywompous Well put. The difference in how she broke the cycle, though, is that she stayed and told HIM to go. She kept her kids and probably gave them the best chance to grow up without becoming her.

Tracy is special. Just wonderful. And one of the joys in watching reactors, for me, is in getting to see someone experience Tracy Chapman for the first time.

I just heard someone cover this amazing tune today. I said to myself, "Nope! Nope! Nope! No one should be doing this song except Tracy." She's awesome!

This is such a poignant song! It IS a song of hope! But it is also about the tragedy of cycles repeating in each generation. About not knowing how or being able to rise above. Tracy is wonderful! Keep listening to her! She has written some terrific songs! ❤

This was her major hit that made the world notice her music. Give Me One Reason was also popular later on, but not many other hits really made it. But she has good music. This song played a great deal in the ending of the 80s. Based on your statement of years, it would appear you were born near the time this was popular, or a tad afterward. But by the time you would be old enough to notice music, it would not have been played as much. Without many major hits, it could fade into obscurity, unless people stumble upon it. Then they realize it is worth playing more regularly. There was a summer that was marked by this song. I remember this song more than the summer when it played so much.

Tracy is an absolute treasure, an undeserved gift.

The first thing I ever knew about Tracy Chapman was her voice, and it was magnificent. An awesome voice, and she reminds me of Bruce Springsteen's lyrics and support for the poor, the working class, the disenfranchised. Stunning is the right word. This song is pure poetry, poetry about so much of America's heartache behind the power and the glamour. Real talk.

Good reaction. Tracy is a very shy and private person who doesn't really enjoy playing in public but thankfully has shared her talents with us. I think you will enjoy her song 'Baby Can I Hold You'

She just brought together so many things at once. She impacted every genre and will be held up as one of the icons of music for all time. This much I know.

"Give Me One Reason" is my favorite Tracy song! 🥰, PJ

One of my favourite albums of all time. I pleased people are still discovering her.

Such an amazing song! And her voice is just... like butter. Gimme one reason is another of her hits and is really good as well!

Her singing "Stand by me" live on the Letterman show is simply outstanding. Just her, a guitar and genius level talent. Do yourself a favour

This is why she won a well-deserved Grammy!!

oNE OF THE BEST SONGS EVER WRITTEN AND PERFORMED. Every Genx'er has this encoded in their DNA

During my worst times,Tracy Chapman's 1st album was the album that I turned to listen to most to calm me down. Every song on that album is so good.

Love this song, worked with "troubled youth" in treatment facilities for several years and this reminds me of a lot of my kids when they got out at 18, mostly worked with girls, and they usually struggled a lot and usually latched on to the first guy that was half nice to them and then it ended badly

I’ll never forget a girl in my class, who no one knew had a beautiful voice, got up and sang this song in front of the whole class. Our jaws were left on the floor. I was very familiar with the song as it was one of my mom and dads favs. It always stuck with me. That would have been when I was in grade 11, 1995. In St. John’s Newfoundland

Tracy Chapman is a fantastic blues player. The arrangement for this song is perfection. The choice of acoustic guitar, the beautiful minor chords, the lyrics, the feeling; it's all just right. Nothing wrong with crying on camera, my dear, it's an honest reaction to a beautiful, haunting, bittersweet song. I was listening to Patsy Cline singing Crazy once a few years ago, and in the mood it was in at the time it just hit me like a ton of bricks and I was instant waterworks! Really good passages in books, and certain movies affect me the same way. ET is a three hanky ending! I make no apologies for it either. I've been married to the love of my life for 41 years now, and I have three beautiful grown children and three beautiful grandchildren. I have nothing to prove to anyone. You don't either!

I've always loved this song. "Give me one reason" is another song of hers that got mainstream attention. It's a shame that she didn't as much attention as other musicians.

This song always hits. Great lyrics that paint a picture. Sad, yet hopeful. someone trying to get up and get out.

@jamesalexander5623

Жыл бұрын

I always wonder how many times this story has played out in real life! .... 'merica!

@shwicaz

Жыл бұрын

@@jamesalexander5623 More often than you know. I was homeless and living in a shelter for a couple years in Boston after being sexually abused by my step dad. Fell into drugs and alcohol. Now I own my home, have been together with the same man for 30 years (18 of them legally married). Took me a long time to realize that booze and drugs were the result of my past trauma. As of this writing, I have six weeks of sobriety under my belt. Thats why this song hits home to me.

She's one of the greatest songwriters ever. A great human. This is just one of many masterpieces.

Its been over 20 years and I still cry when I hear this song!

It was the mid to late 90s, I was stationed (Army) in Japan, pulling into the parking lot headed back to work when "Give Me One Reason" came on the radio and I heard Tracy for the first time. I sat in the car and listened to the song, then put the car back in gear, went to the Post Exchange and bought her CD. Perfection is the word that describes her music.

@jayholland2632

Жыл бұрын

Agree 100% with that. I had already known of Tracy from her debut album when 'Give Me One Reason' came out. As great a song as it is, to me it is not nearly the best song on 'New Beginnings'. The title track, 'Heaven's Here On Earth', 'Cold Feet' there are just so many deeper and more meaningful songs that mainstream radio just ignored that it is a crime didin't get the exposure they deserved.

This is such a haunting song, so well done. I can listen to her for hours.

You're absolutely correct. This song is phenomenal. And so is Tracy Chapman.

This song makes me emotional every time I hear it. One of the best songs ever written. I think so many girls/women living and growing up in the circle of poverty/addiction have felt this.

Nothing I can say about Tracy that hasn't already been said. This song is 35 years old and still relates to many people today.

She is amazing. Don't know why her career didn't go farther. Her voice and writing talents were underrated. Give Me One Reason was probably her biggest hit, and is really a showcase of her vocal talents.

One of the most unique voices in the industry. She has a lot of hit songs, The Promise, is really wonderful too!

A massive hit in the UK...we love it 🇺🇸🇬🇧

What a unique voice, indeed, in both senses of the word.

Tracy is a woman with a very husky,deep,unique voice.I saw her in the early 90's when she released this,and she was amazing,super talented! Hits ya right in the soul.🎙🎶👊

Tracy tapped into nearly everyone's feelings and desires with Fast Car. A story of dreams, of loss, of resilience - the human condition. When this came out, I bought the album just on the strength of this song. A ballad, a story, much as you like. Me too.

Every line haunting wise and beyond mortals. Tracy is all our angel.

Saw her in the early ‘80s in Harvard Square, and as a main act in front of thousands at the Lilith Fair. She is unbelievably good in any setting, not just vocally, but on guitar. And her band was great, too.

@sanchellewellyn3478

9 ай бұрын

I saw her live at the Lilith Fair as well. :)

Tracy Chapman is a great singer-songwriter & storyteller. Have always loved her unusual voice. She is best known for her hit singles "Talkin' 'bout A Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Crossroads", "Give Me One Reason" etc.

The tone of her voice is so soothing.

I love Tracy Chapman! Baby can I hold you, give me one reason.....both are fantastic songs that deserve to be reacted to.