Tracy Chapman

Do you like Folk music? Then this album is for you. I like this guy voice, lyrics are decent and the beat of the songs are pretty good. But would listen to his music all the time no but maybe If im cleaning. I would recommend this album if you wanna try something new.

This album was Good. Its lyrics, while simple, were pretty good. They went good with the music and overall makes it a pretty good album. I recommend this album.

have you ever heard a song and thought it reminds me of something like to friends hanging out in a movie and think its good also I feel that what talking bout a revolution made me think of it and I started liking it because of how the instruments are and the singer I think this song was good and recommend listening to it

1st song-i like it because the beat and singing was so good so yeah 2nd song-i dont like it because it so werid and more

Do you like the rewrite of Fast Car? Well, Tracy Chapman released the original! I love the original, and I love the new one as well! I love Chapman's music, and her range as well! I hope that you'll be able to listen to this album sometime! I highly recommend this album!

Do you like catchy songs? If so, then this is the album for you! The songs are country, and are very catchy and I love them. I like the beat, and the instruments. I also love the lyrics. So that is why I recommend this album.

Incredibile album

LOVE IT

Fantastic voice, some great songs but a little repetitive

Very powerful lyrics , I feel really sad after listening to all the bad times in the songs - not my favorite but I can see the power and influence in the album

A bit dull

Loved it!

Has to be the greatest busker --> superstar story of all-time?

Fast Car is such an incredibly perfect song. The rest of the album is quite good too, though it’s not something I can see putting on often.

Most songs are a little slow for me - but Fast Car is an all-time greatest hit.

This is a stunning and heartbreaking album of folk songs. Many of them tell stories of the working class and racial inequality in America. Others focus on broken relationships where the characters battle loneliness and disappointment. All of them are sung with deep compassion by Tracy Chapman, whose powerful voice is an emotional force. The opening sequence of songs is incredible. The rallying cry of "Talkin' About a Revolution" is a great opener, leading into the bittersweet storytelling on "Fast Car." "Across the Lines" is an impassioned song about race relations. And "Behind the Wall" is just devastating. I hear the influence of classic folk artists on this song (I'm thinking of Joan Baez, who I was introduced to from this list). The a capella delivery stops your tracks. There are a lot of other styles on this album too, like the sparkling power ballad "Baby Can I Hold You," the reggae-tinged "She's Got Her Ticket" and the country twang on "For My Lover." "Mountains O' Things" was another highlight for me. Great lyrics about how the American dream is focused on collecting stuff we don't need. Incredible album.

Many albums on this list have one song that is truly remarkable, and then others that don't come close to it; almost like that one song is so important to music as a whole that the album that it exists upon must be included here. I've hopped back and forth about whether or not this is one of those albums, because "Fast Car" is really a legendary piece of music that needs representation on this list for the song alone. That this album has "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" and "Baby Can I Hold You" on it as well is a big help in dispelling that idea. "Fast Car" is such an amazing piece of music; one of those songs that you could go your whole life and never find someone who dislikes it. The melancholic guitar parts, the poetic lyrics, the emotive vocal performance; it has so many elements that make it truly incredible and timeless. I also find it to be ahead of it's time. This album came out 4 months into 1988 but it is so inherently 90's. The soft singer-songwriter acoustic storytelling style has been around for decades (millennia if we are going back to some baroque bards?) but it is really so antagonistic to the 80's, and the sound is so impressive for this 24 year old to accomplish. I'm not entirely smitten with the rest of the album and in fact I'm re-writing my review here because I was going to slap a "5/5" on it but after re-listening to a lot of the "other" tracks, I'm kind of left wanting more. It definitely tries to do more, like "For My Lover" has a cool country twang to it, "Baby Can I Hold You" utilizes a sitar in a really tasteful manner, "For You" ends the album on a really strong vocal performance where she shows off her range and agility. But these other ones are really kind of really just that- "other ones", and after a day of listening to them I sat down and looked at the list and thought "how does that one go?" for too many of them. It's still going to get a really strong score, just not as top-tier as I initially thought. 4.2/5

All the hits. The non singles are a bit flat

Timeless classic.

Excellent voice. Fast car is great; I ended up tuning out a bit mid-album...

I liked it, even though I’ve listened to some of the songs so many times in my life that I eventually got bored.

Wow. This album's great. I feel like I haven't gotten as many albums from women within the past few months as I should. Sure, I did get Joni Mitchell, Joan Armatrading, and Beyoncé in the past month, but then you have to go back nearly two months to find the Dolly Parton album I got before those ones. Needless to say, Tracy Chapman's debut album serves as a nice source of variety that I've needed from this generator as of lately. Let's talk about the album now. As stated earlier, I think it's absolutely wonderful. Everything about this album just works. Tracy Chapman's singing is nice. I really like it. She really gets to shine on songs like "Behind the Wall," which only has her voice in it. Of course, most songs on this album aren't just singing. The other 10 songs all have instruments in them too. Fortunately, they're also great! The sound is generally fairly soft, with a heavy focus on acoustic guitar. There are moments where other instruments show up though. I really like both styles. The writing is arguably the highlight of this album. There are some absolutely amazing songs on here. The highlight, of course, is "Fast Car." What a song. That song alone justifies this album being on the list. Other songs like the opener, "Talkin' Bout a Revolution," and "Across The Lines" do a great job at focusing on social issues in an interesting way. Other songs like "Baby Can I Hold You" and "For My Lover" are just very solid love songs. This album's great. There are definitely albums I like more, but the impact of this album and the quality of its music are more than enough to justify this album's legacy. Light 5/5.

Great story behind this album

Very 90s acoustic protest song. Artist: Tracy Chapman Album: Tracy Chapman Genre: Tracy Chapman

Great folk, the deep lyricism that touches social justice as well as personal emotion, and Tracy’s vocal delivery that is touching when it needs to be and powerful when it needs to be.

Classic

Wow, didn't expect this, honestly. This is definitely 5 for me this generator really suprised me.

This is a stone cold classic. The melodies are timeless and the vocal is so emotive it cant be beat. Unless you pay attention to the lyrics in which case they may be. The stories told are heartbreaking and the unfulfilled optimism 30 years on tells its own story.

Okay, this album was full of surprises for me. All my life, I believed the person who sang Fast Car was a white person. That was until I listened to this album. I found out it was Tracy Chapman who originally sang this song. Even after having realized that I was like, Oh, okay, it’s not a white guy, but a black guy who sings it. And then I got another awakening it was actually a black lady! 1. Fast car 2. Across The Lines 3. Baby Can I Hold You 4. If Not Now 5. Why? 6. Talkin’ Bout A Revolution 7. Mountains O’ Things 8. She’s Got Her Ticket 9. For You 10. For My Lover 11. Behind The Wall

Pretty good. Behind the wall is creepy and sad

3.5

Eh

My opinion of Tracy Chapman has always been negative based on the only song I knew of hers (Fast Car) which I have never liked and would always turn off if it came on the radio. So I was fully expecting to hate this album but was pleasantly surprised that I actually thought some of the songs were ok. I guess that’s the point of this whole exercise! Ok so I don’t think I’ll be rushing out to buy it but I now get the cultural relevance of the whole album with a lot of the themes still very relevant nearly 30 years later. Perhaps Mylo could learn something about the importance of lyrics and how ghey engage with people!

I am going to be generous on my rating for this one as she seems like a nice person and is clearly a very talented songwriter, sings about important issues. and has a haunting and heartfelt voice. Unfortunately, I found listening to this quite hard work and pretty dull. I also can’t forgive her for inspiring (even if only in a small way) a generation of dull folk singer/songwriters like Ed Sheeran and James Blunt etc. Fast Car, dull folk!

I listened to this a lot as a teenager and am very familiar with it, although I haven’t heard it for ages. For me it has stood up well, there is just something about the melancholy lyrics and the sound that always resonated and still seems to, going by the 2bn steams on Spotify. I have this down as an all time classic

Even if driven very carefully and very skilfully I don’t think Tracy’s famous fast car could get more in the middle of the road than this album.

You wouldn't be normal if you didn't enjoy some of this. However, the fact that Westlife covered one of her songs shows where it's at. Who doesn't like a bit of Westlife ....

This was great! Never listened to the whole thing before and certainly would again!

Well...I slowly recognise, that this mumbling arty-folk genre is not my thing. It is a merciful 2.

First listen. Some pretty well known songs. It was ok.

Great album. Well written songs. Some diversity in musicianship too. Lyrically brilliant.

Fast Car // Across The Lines // Baby Can I Hold You // If Not Now… //

4.5

Not bad.

Pretty good. Not super into a lot of folk or roots rock, but I enjoyed this album enough that I might come back to it again some time.

This was great. I like Tracy Chapman a lot. 4/5

Tracy Chapman & Cat Stevens - so far the only artists to survive the Boyzone Test. 4.2

Bought this when it came out. I know Fast Car has enjoyed a recent resurgence with a cover by a male country artist that I haven’t heard. Chapman had such promise but it can be hard to sustain a career when your first song is an all-timer. Sort of like having Moby Dick as your first novel.

Inoffensive but not very enjoyable.

Now this is a classic. The recent remake of fast Car brought a lot of people back to Tracy Chapman, and deservedly so.

First two tracks are classics and there are one or two additional decent tracks on this. Most I found to be exceedingly ponderous.

Lots of classics on here, very solid complete album.

Starting off w/ a cover of a bob marley song (I think) please don’t set the tone for a political type of thing Fast car is such a fucking cool song. no wonder everyone wants to cover it

Not for me

That voice. The way she builds songs that are full of tension and swell to a sense of triumph or at least hope. And the songs that feel like they've lost hope. They just make you feel. It's beautiful.

I remember buying this album when I was a younger man and how much it spoke to me despite any similarity to my life experience. By the end I was saddened by how much these tracks still speak to me, only things have gotten much worse decades later. This album was not just of its time, but seemingly for all times.

One of my top favorite albums of all time! Such an amazing soul and activist!

"everything is so political nowadays" seems like it always was. Great album. Makes me and probably thousands of others want to pickup a guitar and play.

Thought it was country, was folk

The first time I remember hearing a Tracy Chapman song was in the mid-nineties, when "Give Me One Reason" stormed up the charts. That song felt like it was everywhere for a solid year or so. I don't remember having heard "Fast Song" until around the same time, and for years and years, I assumed they both came from the same album. I can't remember when I first learned about the chronological distance between those songs, but it blew my mind. I hate that I've never listened to this album before, especially now that I'm seeing a lot of rave reviews for it. I guess there's no time like the present to fire this one up! I was worried that this album would lead-off with a few strong tracks, and then have a steep drop off in quality, but thankfully that wasn’t the case. Yes, “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” and “Fast Car” are the best part of this album, but the songwriting is incredible throughout the whole album. I’m always caught off guard when an album from the eighties really pushes the envelope with social and political issues (especially a pop album), because I think there’s been some revisionist history that’s sanitized a lot of what was going on in the U.S. during that time. This album really manages to tackle those issues in a sincere and tangible way. I love that this album really harkens back to some of the folk rock of the sixties in terms of lyrical tone, but the music is soft, and blends in well with popular sounds from the era. There arrangements on these songs are really great, and I like the variation, but the bouncing back and forth between acoustic guitar songs and songs with more African influences was a little jarring to me. On top of that, there were some moments later on in the album that dragged a bit, but this album certainly never lacked for quality of songwriting and vocals. But, overall, this is a great album, and “Fast Car” is an absolute masterpiece, which still carries all of its emotional weight over 35 years later.

She earned a reputation with this album, but did she ever climb higher. 2 stars, also FM radio overplay sigh

When I started listening to these, there were always a few iconic albums that I just KNEW were going to come up. This album is so iconic, the lyrics are so genius and precious to me. I’m really sentimental over this album.

Just fantastic. Tracy is a amazing human and musician. Just a great album by such an important figure in late 80s and early 90s folk. One of the greatest debut albums of all time!

Not my thing

Good album. Hadn't heard most of the songs before. Tracy has a beautiful, soulful voice.

From the familiar voicings of Fast Car to the unexpected acapella of Behind The Wall. This entire album transcends time. The political insights of Why? remain a point of discussion in modern times. And it’s Fucking Tracy Chapman. This album rocks, but softly and beautifully.

Strong songwriting, not my taste musically

Such a soulful voice

I didn't realize she had some reggae influence in her music! Really enjoyed listening to more of her. She has an effortless voice

Some moving lyrical commentary on social and political issues. I enjoyed the acoustics on songs. Some quirky melodies but overall an awesome album.

Unique and beautiful vice, capturing and poignant lyrics. A bit confused by the island/yacht rock vibe in the middle of the album.

vital and true. her voice is so smooth. i especially liked the songs that went a little outside of the typical singer-songwriter acoustic guitar + basic percussion formulation with the more syncopated (??!?!) drums. fav tracks: fast car [duh]; baby can i hold you; mountains o’ things; why?; for my lover

WOWWWW that was so beautiful. i am not someone that typically pays attention to lyrics but i was very moved by the lyricism of this album, particularly Behind the Wall, Across the Lines, and Baby Can I Hold You. The political themes are unfortunately pretty timeless and universally applicable, and the music itself doesn't sound dated or trite -- it feels really fresh and different than anything else I've listened to -- so I see why this album is considered such a classic.

Yeah, Luke Combs’ cover of “Fast Car” is great … but it’s only a reminder of how urgent and transcendent the original was and is … from a 23-year-old college grad who’d been playing open mics and college radio in Boston. My dad had three tapes in his car when I was a kid: this album, Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” and U2’s “Joshua Tree.” They are all desert island albums, something you could live on for the rest of your life.

A workshop in simple effective songwriting. Tracy does a great job with very little, writing lyrics about poverty, injustice, inequality in a way that is beautiful and straightforward while still being relevant decades later. Fast Car is an incredible song, the rest of the album can't quite meet that early high but it's a solid effort.

Nix für mich.

Good, but gets a bit boring after a while. Still, Fast Car is an astoundingly good song.

This is a great album. The storytelling is top notch, and it sounds as if nothing has changed in 36 years...

Solid album. Better than I thought it would be.

Folk rock. Un megahit. Un 4.

I enjoyed this quite a bit even though it really isn't the type of music I would listen to. As far as folky/pop/rock albums go, it is a worthy listen

I wouldn't put Chapman's style in my list of gotos - she is skilled beyond a doubt in her playing, composition, and lyricism. I do think this one is an actual must hear, for people in the United States in particular.

Good album. Love the opening track.

Sounds modern and stylish

Tracy Chapman's music hurts my heart in the best way.

You can't really fault this album. It was something completely different when it came out, and it snowballed to the point that everyone seemed to have a copy and listen to it almost constantly. It didn't matter what your usual choice of music was, you had a copy of this album. Several standout tracks, not one weak track.

Very country folky, my favourite song in the album has to be “fast car”. Country folk music isn’t exactly my thing, but this was still a fun listen!

Bleh, its alright but seems full of hot air. Lotta nothing being preached.

Christ her voice is so beautiful. Glad to finally be made to sit down and listen to more from her than Fast Car - that being the second track feels so bold and so understated in her brilliance. I gotta do more things more, man.

One of greatest song writers ever and a voice that transforms those works into something beyond

Phenomenal writing and pleasant listening. Lyrics are still so real and important 36 years later.

Really really enjoy her voice a lot. It almost seems as though if this was any other artist there would be a lot of belting out the tunes, but Tracy doesn't need to do that at all, her voice absolutely carries this album. It dips a little bit for a couple of songs in the middle but ends just as it started. Fast Car is the obvious highlight but I'm glad the rest of the album matches up to it. Across The Lines is the other best song. If I could give it 4.5 I would, but alas, it's a 4.

Ok

I could do without the actual whisper. Recording is so clean - maybe too clean. Fast car is great - her voice is so consistent and perfect. I think it could benefit with a little more variation and roughness. Every verse is delivered with exactly the same intensity. Would be nice to hear some breaking in her voice sometimes. This song could have been half the length and still delivered the same emotion. The music sounds like it’s programmed. Some weird chord choices at the end of verses for interludes- like almost whimsical for such a serious song. Whoa - acapella with no reverb - interesting choice. Baby can I hold you tonight- wish it had real strings and less keyboard sounds. Sitar? It’s like they were just going through presets in the studio. Mountains sounds like music from Monkey Island video game. Ticket - delay instead of reverb in the voice. Reggae fills - reminds of that Brazilian bass player. Music is incongruous with the lyrics. For my lover - great song, kept it relatively simple production wise- couldn’t resist with another weird preset at that one point and maybe a little too straight ahead but best after fast car so far. Wish they used the production of the last song on the rest of the album.

Not my genre, 3/10

First time hearing Tracy Chapman, very unique voice. Songs didn’t age a bit. Fast car alone puts it on top for a 5. Favorite track: Fast car other picks: talking about a revolution, behind the wall(only voice with bo instrumentation), baby can i hold you, mountain of things.

Never saved so many songs off the same album, love it

Great album

A beautiful record which is so evocative.

Tracy comes out of the gate swinging. The album loses some steam as things go ahead and it can be a bit preachy at times but Fast Car alone makes it all worthwhile.

Tracy Chapman's blend of folk resonates with me.

Really good from start to finish.

Always remember my GCSE English teacher forcing the class to listen song after song on repeat in a lesson Great album

Absolutely incredible album. Powerful lyrics, a beautiful unique voice, and a perfect light guitar that backs up and compliments her voice so well. This is a gem!

I had almost completely forgotten about "Talkin' Bout a Revolution", "Fast Car" and "Baby Can I Hold You". Tracy Chapman has a great voice. The music is great, even if I don't particularly like conceptual folk/roots rock. All in all, an album that I liked very much, that I heard in its entirety for the first time in this project and that I want to hear again. 4/5

My mother LOVED this album and I used to dislike it because she played it a lot, so I made an effort to try and move past my negative reaction and actually it is a quality album with a couple of absolute classic songs. It wouldn't be something I'd choose to listen to, but she does what she does well. Fave Track: Fast Car Rating: 4

Evocative powerful and an anthropologist

Feels like realizing that you used to be so cruel to kids who were different and why you did that It's pretty good but all the songs sound very samey but somehow Fast Car is still the best . Much more leftist and revolutionary than I expected Best songs: Fast Car, Baby Can I Hold You?, Talkin' About a Revolution Strong 6 to a light 7 Cover 4/10 You went to work and saw Point Break with Patrick

Loved this. I had never dove into Tracy Chapman, but loved the strong messages and the simple yet deep musical creativity.

A beautiful voice, and knack for storytelling, courage to write about difficult topics such as racial and economic inequality, and then the audacity to lay down one of the best Americana songs of all time. Tracy is aptly underrated for her contribution to music with this album, and that was reflected as she became the first black woman to top the country music charts with the presence of a white man. Tracy broke barriers and wrote some incredible folk on her way.

Great singer, great album. Front half slaps harder than the back.

Fast Car might be the perfect song. The rest of the album reminded me why Fast Car is the only Tracy Chapman song I can name. But goddamn it is it a great son.

Fast car is great, but that’s about it

One of the best opening two tracks on any album. Fades a little toward the end

Fav: Baby Can I Hold You Least Fav: Mountains O’ Things

Something about singer/songwriters just puts me off, I don’t know what it is.. great voice and soothing music. Only knew ‘Fast Car’ but ‘Talking about a Revolution’ was another favorite. 3.25/5

5/5. A beautiful and sad album of important messages and quiet songs of longing and heartache. There is love throughout but scarce enough to remind you of the bleakness of the world. Optimism is a message trying to break through each song but it always ends in disappointment at the police, society, yourself. She has a very accessible voice and each song provides enough diversity that doesn't sound like a plain acoustic pop album. Best Song: Fast Car, Baby Can I Hold You, Talkin' 'Bout A Revolution

Fantastic album discussing generational poverty and life in the inner city.

Better than expected. And a good story, what with the recent appreciation for her

"You got a fast car And I want a ticket to anywhere Maybe we make a deal Maybe together we can get somewhere." Great lyrics. Great guitar. Great voice. Great talent. Love this.

She's hard not to like. Her performance of 'Fast Car' at Wembley when she was almost unknown was incredible. It still sounds great and I've always liked 'Baby Can I Hold You' too. But much as I like her it's not the most exciting or emotional album is it!

As dad says in his review, Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car stand-in performance at Wembley is the stuff of music legend. A great song. She has a really powerful voice and I enjoyed the listen, it just didn’t really throw any surprises at me.

These are good songs. Didn’t set my world on fire but was still enjoyable and I can see why she’s popular.

Tracy Chapman is simply one of the best to ever do it. This album is heartbreaking, thought provoking, eternally socially relevant, and just damn good

While this album is musically very satisfying, it always leaves me feeling devastated. Thirty-six years have passed since its release and not much has changed; there was no revolution. Certain songs definitely make you think about the state of things, and why we're not doing enough to fix it. Anyway... Musically, this album aged very well. It's not only lyrically relevant, but also sounds like it could've been recorded this year. The only reason why I'm not giving it five stars is because I consider this album very heavy and I can't listen to it often. 4 stars

Great album, so many popular songs, and it's not like you can party with it, but it's just an enjoyable album to listen to.

The name Tracy Chapman makes you think of a certain voice… a certain sound. This album is why. 4.5 out of 5

Great singer songwriter with a short but sweet album with some great themes. 10/10

Masterpiece of masterpieces

Tracy Chapman's self-titled debut album is a poignant and powerful collection that blends folk, rock, and soul with raw, emotive storytelling. The album's most iconic track, Fast Car, captures the desperation and hope of escaping a cyclical life, showcasing Chapman's ability to craft vivid narratives. Talkin' bout a Revolution serves as a call to arms, highlighting the album's underlying themes of social justice and change. Throughout, Chapman's voice is both tender and fierce, a perfect match for the introspective lyrics that explore love, struggle, and resilience. The minimalist production allows her voice and guitar to take center stage, creating an intimate, almost haunting atmosphere. Tracks like Behind the Wall strip back the instrumentation entirely, relying solely on Chapman's a cappella delivery to convey the stark reality of domestic violence. The album's emotional depth and timeless relevance have cemented it as a classic, resonating with listeners across generations. Tracy Chapman's debut is a masterclass in storytelling and an enduring testament to the power of music to inspire change. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 4 STAND OUT TRACK - Fast Car

Amazing album, great lyrics. Very good songwriter

Really enjoyed this. Put it on while cleaning up from Burning Man.

I do appreciate the couple of tracks that most people are aware of. What I really enjoyed was the "She's got a Ticket" track, probably my favorite on the hold album. With that said, the sad girl album is just not my thing. I just wouldn't seek it out, even if I was in a column mood

I'm so excited for this!! Talkin' Bout a Revolution - incredible. What a beautiful voice. The noise cancelling headphones are really doing this justice. You better run run run run run run run run ! Fast Car - yes yes yes yes Across the Lines - I didn't know this one before now. I like it. A softer song (production wise, not lyrics) than the other two Behind the Wall - is this a cappella? beautifullll voice - hard hitting lyrics Baby Can I Hold You - this is beautiful Mountains O' Things - I don't know why I wasn't expecting lyrics like this. she's incredible She's Got Her Ticket - not my favourite on the album, but still enjoying it Why? - same as the above, but it's a very good tune For My Lover - god her voice is beautiful If Not Now... - this feels hopeful, I like it For You - I want Tracy Chapman to be in love with ME! This was lovely Might listen to this album again immediately I liked it that much. thanks Tracy love you

This album has a very strong start, but falls off after the first two songs. I really expected this to be 4 stars based on the Tracy Chapman music I've heard before, but it was really just okay.

Goddamn, what a voice, both in the sonic sense and in the literary sense.

I can get wary about political songs. Not usually because of the politics, but because it's difficult to make political prescriptions into song lyrics without them being impossibly clunky or without them flattening into a lack of specificity. Sometimes, on a micro level, I feel like Tracy Chapman can brush up against the latter. But on a macro level this is an album full of stories of characters pushed to the margins, suffering from domestic violence, addiction, poverty, all wanting something greater. As an album length statement, it's hard to get more resonant than that.

This was ok. I like Fast Car it gets stuck in my brain. I don't feel like it's the saddest song ever like a lot of people do. The rest of the album to me is just more of the same.

This was a great album. I only knew fast car beforehand, which is honestly still my favorite song, but the whole album has a similar vibe

This is the type of album that I feel is more 'appreciated' than 'enjoyed'. I could be wrong, but I think the reason it is praised is because it is thoughtful, as opposed to being bland and mindless. Make no mistake: the lyrics and storytelling are beautiful. The problem lies in how the album actually sounds. If I were to hear the majority of these songs by themselves and out of context, I probably would not have to force myself to like them. I understand why the hype exists, but I don't think I want to be a part of it.

I had no idea Fast Car wasn’t a current song! The album was relaxing and breezy, but had some powerful moments. I barely made it all the way through properly paying attention so I will listen to it again!

Despite some of the more unfortunate 80s-ness of this record it’s a banger. Despite being close to 40 years old it feels fresh and new.

Beautiful and timeless. Could be one of the best folk albums of all time with one of the best folk songs of all time on it.

That kind of albums should be on this list. I knew some songs from years ago, haven't got a clue who sang them, and now I know. The whole album is a great experience.

Incredible album from an incredible singer-songwriter!

Incredible voice but most songs are just ok

When this came out I thought it was so lame. Now with age and wisdom I see how good it is.

Очень хороший альбом. Удивлен приятно. Я люблю такое в целом, а здесь еще и 1) невероятный голос и 2) интересные истории. Лучшая песня - Fast Car.

yeah this is a classic

Pre-listening thoughts: FINALLY A WOMAN!! And Tracy Chapman at that! This is such an exciting album. Tracy is such a brilliant storyteller and I am so very excited to not only listen to an album by a woman but a queer woman of color. Post/during listening thoughts: I’ve already heard the first two tracks of this album. I love Tracy’s voice. The folk-rock genre blend on this record is flawless and keeps energy flowing while also keeping the sound down to earth and intimate. Some of the production does lean very 80s though. Theres something about the way that Tracy places emphasis on certain syllables and places words within the rhythm that I’m awful at describing but is very pleasant to listen to. Not a bad track on this album. These issues are still super prevalent today, a timeless record but at what cost? 9.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: yes and everyone should Fav tracks: Fast Car, Across the Lines, Baby Can I Hold You, She’s Got Her Ticket, If Not Now… Least fav tracks:

very powerful, behind the wall es una canción a acapella que no necesita music for how powerful it is. Increible proyect, very vulnerable and personal. 10/10

6.5/10

I was surprised at how many songs I knew from the album without realizing it. I don't find her voice particularly pleasant, but it definitely sounds unique and gives her already very personal songs an even more personal touch. The songs are the highlight anyway. If you don't listen closely, it's just solid singer-songwriter acoustic music. If you listen closely, Tracy Chapman will break your heart.

Really great folk album. Vocals and guitar well done. Fast Car got tons of airplay when it was released but this is my first listen to the whole album

5 - Yeah this was stunning. Really powerful and beautiful at the same time

This album really starts off hot. Fast Car is definitely one of those songs that I feel like I have heard too much already but its just undeniably awesome. I was not aware that she wrote Baby Can I Hold You - there are some real heavyweights on this album. The end tails off for me, but still a pretty solid album. Fave Tracks: Talkin' Bout A Revolution, Fast Car, Baby Can I Hold You 4/5

First time listening in years. Enjoyed that.

Always love me some Tracy Chapman

an album i've heard countless times, an artist that i did and do regard as my all-time favorite, a collection of songs i could never get enough of. the easiest 5 so far.

Singer-songwriter, folk rock. Beautifully melancholic and passionate, very political. What an amazing experience. Love her vocals and the instrumentals fit perfectly. Especially loved the vocal only song. Very special album Strong 4.5/5

A modern Bob Dylan. An album for a revolution, and boy, do we need one!

Ein sehr schönes Album. Wunderbare Songs, sehr kritisch, aber geht wunderbar ins Ohr. Tolle Stimme. Ein Genuß

I really don’t love that cover of fast car making it’s rounds, but I did love this album!

Outstanding vocalist. Essence of story telling via music. Feels like a lot of later artists tried to model themselves after Tracy. Ed Sheeran in particular seems like He took a lot of inspiration from her. Song highlights: Talkin' Bout a Revolution, Fast Car, Baby Can I Hold You, If Not Now

Just so simple and heartbreaking

Überraschenderweise waren mir einige Lieder bekannt, obwohl ich den Künstler gar nicht kannte. Sehr weiche Stimme, angenehme Melodien, Lieder abwechslungsreich.

Never heard this before, and want to re-listen!

This is a very strong album. It just isn't an album I'll really ever put on. That would lead me to giving it a 3. But!, it has Fast Car on it. That is like a top 25 song of all time. So I'm giving this a pretty easy 4.

This is one of those albums that I like in spite of the seemingly similar albums that I don't like.

Fast Car is a classic, don't think that can ever be taken away. Sadly the rest of the album isn't as good, but it came close enough.

Beautiful performance throughout, I think I need to become more familiar with tracks that aren't Fast Car to properly judge this one.

I was blown away by the production first time I listened to this on LP. Really powerful album, Tracy Chapman really sounds like she means every word she says. The first tracks are the best part of the album, but it only falls off a tiny bit at the end.

还阔以

I love this album. It is one of my favourites of all time and I was excited for it to pop up!

Folk music doesn’t feel like it had that much of a presence in the 80s. Not even remotely as much as it did in the 60s and 70s. It definitely faced a resurgence in the 90s though. And Tracy Chapman’s titular debut is proof of that. Coming out near the tail end of the 80s, this merges the familiar folk sound with the more pop based heartland rock of the late 70s and 80s. I’ll admit that I had never heard of her until the most recent Grammy event, where she performed her song Fast Car with Luke Combs. But honestly I couldn’t give less of a fuck about him. And I can say for sure that her original rendition is far better than his. It’s a great song. The sort of slow and simple folk rock I can get behind. The rest of the album is pretty decent too. Tracy’s solemn voice and poignantly conscious lyricism makes me think of late fall and autumn chill. Her songwriting style felt very reminiscent of Joni Mitchell and Blue. I see a lot of similarities between those two albums. I can also appreciate the use of some more unique instruments. I’m pretty sure I heard a harpsichord and a sitar in there at some point. Their parts are brief, but they stand out. Some of these songs are maybe a little too 80s for me personally, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say any song on the record is bad. As a complete package, maybe not something I would come back to. But Fast Car is definitely worth your time. Rating: 6/10

Really solid album. Not a bad track on the whole thing. I remember when this came out, Fast Car was everywhere. Glad to have listened to it.

I remember this album from when it dropped. I listened to it religiously for a short time, after which it slowly receded to the back of my CD collection, where it would remain if I hadn’t traded it in for Dungeon and Dragons supplies at our local second hand everything store. After another listen, I have no regrets.

Obviously Fast Car is one of the best songs of all time, the album on the whole doesn’t do a lot for me

pre-listen: I assume this is the one with Fast Car Talkin bout a revolution: pretty good folksy song Fast Car, obviously, is great Everything else except Behind the Wall sounds the same to me Behind the Wall doesnt sound great

Fantastic debut. Excellent lyrics. Social consciousness and good music.

Joan Armatrading's illigitimate daughter.... Quite good

2,5

So pleasant, so peaceful. So right for my dinner prep.

Classic, if a bit of a downer.

You already know! 5.

Tracy Chapman is a national icon. Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

Low 4

Fast cars!!

Another incredible record. More like what I can listen to when WFH. The album is a great journey through heartbreaking scenarios and hope.

8.5/10

Interesting time capsule of what mainstream “protest-y” music was talking about in the late 80s. Obviously Fast Car is goated, but I was struck by the bleakness of the rest of it as well. Really clear why she blew up so big back then.

Beautiful album. Only minor issue is it suffers from feeling a tiny bit dated.

Gear: Fostex TH610 Artwork: 🤷‍♂️ Mix: 🎧😘🤌 Musik: 🎸🎙️📃💎 Wertung: 🏎️🏎️🏎️(🏎️)/5

I don’t usually just listen to music, instead have it playing in the background of whatever I’m doing. However, within the first minute of this album starting (as I had just added it to my queue) I went to check my phone. I wanted to know the name (Talkin’ Bout a Revolution) and to add it to my current playlist. I mean I shouldn’t be surprised really, we are referring to the artist and album of ‘Fast Car’. So review: this album is great, Tracy’s voice is easy to listen to and there is so much truth and thought behind the lyrics

Brutal, beautiful storytelling over simple guitar arrangements. I would normally be bored by how simple the guitar work is, but the simplicity of it really amplifies her lyrics, and it works really well. The latter half of this album falls off a little bit with the lyrics, but a very strong album nonetheless.

Classic iconic album!

It is a rare talent indeed for someone to write a song that can dominate MTV in the late 80s, become a mega hit for a mediocre pop country singer over 30 years later, and yet still be filled with power and sincerity. The rest of the album is equally strong, and I’m ashamed to admit it took this long in my life to hear it in its entirety.

Musically, the first songs are the most interesting, and this is a three star album; however, the socio-political nature of the lyrics take this up a notch. Unfortunately, still relevant today. “Talkin’ about a Revolution” is worth a listen.

Yeah, this is a 5* album. Especially impressive given that it's her debut.

I had a fast car once. It was a lot of fun, and only got me in trouble once or twice. I remember it well, much better than all of the other cars I've ever had, they were pretty much unimpressive. Which brings me to this point - we all remember one song from this album, but not a single one of the others. Get it?

Great album, and still sounds good. Fast Car has been unfortunately played to death.

Well I knew this would probably come up, so I guess I was mentally prepared for it. Snivelling, nasal, beige elevator muzak that's not even slightly hard hitting. This is the sort of fake folk music that I imagine middle class people had in their collection for show, but would never actually play, because let's face facts, it's incredibly lifeless and dull. The lyrics are an exercise in mundanity; how to skirt around issues without actually suggesting any solution or even spelling out what the real problem is. "We're all angry! Why? Because babies die, that's why!". It's like something a four-year old would come up with. I even find it annoying that Wikipedia has this down as the wrong musical genre. This is pop, maybe folk-pop if I'm being generous. It's definitely not folk-rock, contemporary-folk, or roots-rock. There's also some nasty synth sounds thrown in here and there, but let's ignore that, or we'll start categorising this as synth-wave. There might have been a couple of half catchy melodies here, but excessive radio play soon dealt with that. The non-hit songs aren't even filler, they're just plain awful. If I ever had to hear this dross again, it would be too soon.

Nice but maybe… too nice? A bit too cheesy pie for me.

Was really enjoying this… till the song that Ronan Keating covered from this album (Baby Can I Hold You) pops up and now I can’t get his version out of my head…. that’s not the original albums fault though…..

Soft soft soft

I'm running on no sleep, otherwise I'd type a little more here, but I found it to be an excellent work of auditory art.

This is beautiful, deep, meaningful and wonderful. Beyond being a work of art, she feels so intimate and genuine. She is sharing her innermost thoughts and feelings and we are blessed to hear them from her in such an amazingly perfect way.

This album is fantastic. She is an amazing writer and her voice is truly one of a kind. Love the social and racial messages too.

Meio que não tem como ficar muito melhor no gênero do Folk. Uma voz linda, com instrumentais quase sempre austeros e suaves, com letras às vezes de amor, às vezes críticas à sociedade de seu tempo (que infelizmente, apesar do cinismo que algo tão frontal seria recebido hoje, não deixa de ser atual). Ótimo álbum de estreia da Tracy Chapman.

<3

Powerful songs on this album has a great sound that is deceptively sparse which I think gives it a more universal feel given the time it was released.

That was great. Talkin’ Bout a Revolution and Fast Car are classics. I was surprised by a lot of the sounds of some of the other songs. Very powerful lyrics too. 8.5/10

Tracy has a 5-star voice and Fast Car is a 5-star song. But the rest of the album has 3-star melodies.

I both really enjoyed this album, and wanted to enjoy it more. Chapman's voice is a powerful and Fast Car is a helluva song.

Amazing songs that tell stories that break your heart.

Extra star for Fast Car being such a banger

A pleasant reminder of how good an album this is.

Words don’t come easily.

Tracy Chapman

Nice little acoustic album

under-rated artist. 3.5

A few duds (Mountains of Things), but overall great. Kicks off with two masterpieces in “Fast Car” and “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution”

❤️❤️❤️ wonderful album ❤️❤️❤️

Day 35 - July 6th, 2024 I love lesbians <3. 5/5.

I'm not really a fan of her voice and the subject matter of many of her songs is a drag and not why I listen to music. My enjoyment level was at a 2-2.5 but somehow it seems better than my enjoyment level so on it's merits for what it is I'll be generous and give it a 3.

Simple, great voice and lyrically brilliant. Covers race, politics and relationships, much more than just fast car.

very good :)

A nice, easygoing yet politically charged acoustic album. The Standouts are Fast Car, Across The Line, Mountain O'Things, and Why.

Solid album. Chapman has a really excellent voice and the songs are all pretty good. ***

this was a nice album to listen to, the intro had the right amount of energy to get me invested for the rest of the album, the second track Fast Car was amazing too, all songs held up with standard and it was a nice listen overall.

This is the type of album I'd almost want to hear sung by someone else just to really hit home how much her voice and passion carry it through. The lyrics are poignant, and Fast Car is a classic for a reason. I'm almost a bit disappointed I'm not rating it higher but I do think on a different day or with more listens I could find more.

From the start, her first 3 words, her voice grabbed my attention. Amazing voice. Subdued instrumental. Solid lyricism. Tho a full album loses me after a while, but at the right time I'd like to give this a better listen.

a low key album but quite lovely.. some songs to return to although not really my thing generally speaking

This album is a true representation of what American folk is. The lyrics and storytelling are vivid and play like a cinema to the listener. Poetry at it's finest not to mention the clean heartfelt strumming of the chords on the guitar. Tracy is an artist too far overlooked. Her artistry and honesty in her music make the listener feel a bit anxious and heart broken at what she felt when composing this music, something very few artists have the capacity to do.. If you don't believe me listen closely to the mainstream hit Fast Car, or the hidden gems in Across the Lines or Behind the Wall.

1988. Fast Car. Talkin bout a Revolution.

10!

This was a solid and memorable listen. Musically, it mixes folk, rock, and soul with powerful lyrics and a soulful voice. The simple arrangements keep the focus on the lyrics. Lyrically, there are some hot takes on social issues.

Several songs of the album are well known and have been played soooo often. The album as a whole ist ok. I could listen to it now and then. But there is no highlight there in my opinion.

An all-time classic from Tracy. Silky voice and simple melodies make it an extremely easy-listening record, like Tapestry by Carole King, but with a terrific voice. The fun fact is that Spotify always recommends Rumours songs afterward.

For too long I thought Tracy was a man. Part of that is my main association with the name Tracy is my uncle, and then also Dick Tracy (which I don't quite know off hand if Dick is a title or thier actual name.... probably a name so that doesn't count) At any rate, I also didn't realize Fast Car and give me one reason were on different albums, so I suppose the former could come back around on the list here. Tracy does have a unique and lovely voice, so smooth. The album was over before I knew it so I'll have to come back a second time and take some better notes. It's just one of those unobjectionable voices that can be on in almost any situation. A perfect department store sound, and I mean that as a compliment. Favorite track "Fast Car" 4/5

I liked this one, especially the track 'Behind the Wall'

not my cup of tea but chapman is undoubtedly a skilled vocalist. 🍃🚘💭💗📢 highlights: behind a wall. see also: alanis morissette.

Great album, great songs, great singer with a unique voice. And lots of good memories listening to these songs

Fast Car is a classic and a couple of other quality songs on here, but not something that I would ever add to my regular rotation. Very country feel on a 90's style alternative sound.

I reaallly wish this was longer. Loved it <3 5/5

Loved this. So beautiful. THIS is how you structure an album. There's no places to skip, not that you'd want to. It's social realism in music form which is so important - political music should always focus on personal impacts and it's sad really how little has changed.

Enjoyed the album. Her voice is unique

It's understated with a powerful message and that voice is so unique!

This is an untouchable classic. The whole record is great but imagine having a song as good as Fast Car. That's once in a lifetime shit.

Fantastic album

I didn't expect to but I had to give this a 5 It's song after song that are meaningful and beautiful at the same time. Just so good

So nearly perfect but not quiet

Devenue star planétaire suite au désistement de Stevie Wonder pour le concert de la libération de Nelson Mandela, j'avais de mémoire pas accroché plus que cela le disque au moment de sa sortie. 35 ans après, cette écoute, dans le cadre de mon projet et je l'avoue fort plaisante à l'oreille. Conclusion, avec son folk engagé, le premier album de Tracy Chapman n'a pas vieilli en 35 ans. Ce qui est souvent la marque des grands albums. Un album intemporel comme le sont les thèmes abordés au travers des 11 titres. Une belle note de 4/5 pour un album que je réécouterai peut-être un jour dans 35 ans 😀

An emotional powerhouse. Come for Fast Car, stay for everything else on this album.

Good

De très belles chansons folk bien exécuté, ya rien à redire

Pretty decent and definitely an album with a lot to say. Have always loved the haunting melody and plaintive way Tracy sings Fast Car.

mid

I'm not really a lyrics kinda guy, so this one does not connect with me too too much. Was a good listen and seems like a good addition to this list. Will I listen to again: 10%

I was never a fan of her voice. But this album is an example of another album that gets better as it goes.

4/5

Calming

Can I recognize this as being a lovely, classic and beloved album while also being not my thing?

entirely distracted by a song with the word "talkin'" in the title and the word "talking" being sung

I enjoyed her voice and the style of song, but I think there could have been more energy. I'd listen again though.

yeah baby!! sad lesbian music!!

Solid

10/10, genuinely great album — although I gotta be honest, I don’t think Fast Car is the best song here, but that should just go to show how consistently good the album is

This album deals with a lot of sad and heavy subjects, but manages to still be enjoyable to listen to

-fast car!! -for you is lovely -its okay, nothing special for me tho

first listen in entirety. I'm glad I had finally listened to the full album. I've been meaning to do it for a while and I really liked it. Will definitely come back to it.

3.5

No offense to Tracy but growing up in the nineties and hanging out in bars throughout my life hearing covers of Fast Car and Gimme one Reason has kind of soured my ears to her style. Nothing personal just not my thing, they all kind of sound the same to me after a while.

Xiu Xiu covering fast car is wild

Always a good song writer, great singer and super popular. Might be a 2 to 3 hit wonder. But she definitely has talent.

Such an unbelievable voice. Not every song is special, but there are just enough to push this into four-star territory for me. And "Fast Car" is one of the 20th century's great ballads, period.

Good

Pretty good, album started off strong but songs started to blend together toward the end

powerful

A very thoughtful and well-constructed folk album. Maybe lacking in energy here and there, but largely engaging, reflective, and rewarding with a couple genuine classics. Best song: Fast Car

Pretty nice

Nostalgia to hear it again, it was everywhere then

During multiple listens the album really grew on me. There are really nice songs on this that have a really clear political message as well! 4/5

This album is the reason we can give 4 stars.

Hadn’t heard this in full but very good! Impressive as a blend of catchy singer/songwriter fare and blunt, poetic lyrics - I loved her vocal textures on Behind the Wall and would have loved more experimentation with a cappella but as I said, the music is a very strong vehicle for the messaging!

Fast Car is an all-timer! Surprised by how successful this was given how explicitly political it is

tracy chapman is looking like a ghost on this album artwork - kinda matches the sad ass proletariat music in which it contains!!

It's a wonderful, dark, depressing album

8/10 una sorpresa que me gustó mucho

Great album!

Great singer song writer album. The three singles are absolute classics. With fast car one of the best songs ever written. The rest of the album does get a bit repetitive though musically and lyrically, hence doesn’t get the full 5 stars.

Excellent record that contains one of the finest songs ever recorded in Fast Car. Is there a line that evokes as much emotion as “your arm felt nice wrapped ‘round my shoulder”? To me the album is good start to end with Fast Cat being a masterpiece of a track.

beautifully observed stories, told with an amazing voice - delicate or powerful as needed.

Alright

Still so good!

Really, really excellent. On the verge of five stars, but there's not a ton of range here, and no real bangers outside of the already mega-famous tracks. It's all great, but nothing popped in a way I was hoping it would.

Fast Car is a great song, a lot of these kind of felt like similar ideas, but don't quite get going or have the songwriting to the same extent.

Pretty good album Top tracks: Fast Car

i got downvoted on reddit one time for saying i didnt like fast car so now i hold a grudge against this album. 5/10

Very much about the issues of a black woman in the US Nice relaxing acoustic instrumentation A tad repetitive - the lyrics in a song are often repeated, and the music rarely evolves much dynamically Conclusion: It's nice music, if slightly repetitive, and the lyrics certainly seem heartfelt and well-written. But the lyrical themes just doesn't speak to me as as a white European male, and the music is too static to really hold my interest. I would enjoy this music if it was put on at a friend's house, but I wouldn't listen to it myself. It's a 3.