Tracy Chapman

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!

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 ....

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

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

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.

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.

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

"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.

Strong songwriting, not my taste musically

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.

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

Solid album. Better than I thought it would be.

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

Good album. Love the opening 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!

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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!

Incredible voice but most songs are just ok

6.5/10

First time listening in years. Enjoyed that.

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

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

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

2,5

Classic, if a bit of a downer.

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?

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

Extra star for Fast Car being such a banger

under-rated artist. 3.5

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.

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

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.

1988. Fast Car. Talkin bout a Revolution.

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.

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

Enjoyed the album. Her voice is unique

Good

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.

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

Solid

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

Good

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

Pretty nice

Nostalgia to hear it again, it was everywhere then

Alright

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.

Didn’t mind it. First two songs are the best, Talking bout a revolution and Fast Car. It is a nice length at 36 mins. Overall, a little slow for me.

Pleasant. I only knew Fast Car beforehand, probably a reason why that's her standout hit. Rest of the album sounded extremely similar but with slightly less emotion in it. Nice background music, but not something I'm desperate to have on repeat anytime soon.

Not my style but I liked it nonetheless

Shit was mid. Was made for wokeies

It’s aight

Personally not my cup of tea, however, her performance is amazing and heartfelt. Some songs are touching and inspirational!

3/5

This was pleasant. Other than Fast Car, I'd never heard much from this artist before. Coffee house and chill.

26.04.24 Faves: - Fast car - Across the lines - Baby can I hold you ('ve heard before) - Mountains o'things - Why? - For my lover - For you Opinion: not my type of music. however, he has such a nice voice and the lyrics have meaning behind them. maybe i'd listent to it while driving

Not as lo-fi as I expected. Talking 'bout a Revolution has of course been played to death, which is a little unfair to it, because it's a good little number. On the whole, very solid, but I probably won't revisit this any time soon because it's not really down my alley, even though I do see why it's on the list.

This was socially a great record. I loved the messages. But was super easy listening 80s style which I struggled with.

fast car is one of the best songs ever written. the rest of the album is similarly heavy but extremely well executed. maybe a little too depressing for me to love wholeheartedly

pretty okay

cute

Se deixar tocando de fundo, passa batido. O instrumental é fraco, o som do violão é insosso e a percussão genérica. O brilho das músicas são as letras, e não a dúvida que são excelentes. Um álbum para se ouvir focado nas letras, caso contrário ele vai passar inteiro sem você perceber onde acaba uma música e começa outra.

Interesting reading the misogynistic reviews that appear quite high up on any female artist. It just shows how women are inherently ignored, overly criticised, dismissed and/or ridiculed when they try and present any creative output. It’s a good album but it’s not what I’d usually listen to.

Not bad. Songs were catchy. I give it 3 stars.

First 3 songs were nice, the rest had good parts but were overall kinda boring.

Idk, maybe just not really for me. A few huge songs that I knew were pretty good, but even those bored me a little. Nothing besides fast car really stands out, just solid songwriting and decent music. Also max beat me on the review yesterday. Can’t let it happen again. 6/10

Nice to finally listen to this album all the way through. Beautiful, heartfelt songs about the realities of life. While I enjoyed my listen, I don't think I'd seek this album out to listen to casually.

A lot of the songs haven't aged well. Heart-on-your-sleeve college protest stuff. But Fast Car is one of the best the songs ever written and Talking bout a revolution is a legit good peacenik song.

A great quality sounding album. Nothing is overdone or not needed. The songs are simple and to the point. This is a Sunday afternoon soundtrack for sitting outside on a summer day or when the world is burning down. Choice Cut: Fast Car

Good production. Each song gets its own treatment, so it stays pretty fresh as an album. Folk to jazzy to world. It covers a lot of ground. "Why?" is sort of heavy handed, but still poignant years later. Glad she's getting her due these days. 3.8

This album is no doubt one of the most important albums recorded, however it is not for me.

Great album. Would listen to again

Tracy Chapman is a brilliant artist who has produced numerous, beautiful pieces regarding important issues. She has tackled racial injustices and women’s issues. She stands with those who have been bullied. She draws light to darkness. For me, that is great; for about half and album. This is a really good album, though. Fast Car is iconic and Across the Lines, haunting. Tracy has rather quietly built quite the catalog.

Just fine, kinda carried by Fast Car

quality album, special for what it is and its time, limited replay value in my current life

Absolutely a legend, but just not my genre of music.

Enjoyed it, great voice, not any songs on there that really leapt out tho.

Decent album. Very 90s vibe. Good, chill album.

Als Hintergrund Musik erträglicher Contemporary Folk. Bekanntester Song ist wohl 'Talkin bout a revolution'.

Chill minimalist production and Tracy has a beautiful voice. Feels like this was mega influential on the early 90s wave of singer-songwritery pop music.

Very good but too easy listening for my taste.

3.5 loved the lyrics. Great ability to paint a picture of the problems she faces. The instrumentals are ok nothing great

I’ve heard some of these songs before but never the entire album. It’s quite good though I tire of characters and situations that I can’t much relate to (life in the hood/projects/big city). I could definitely listen to this again…...just not often.

Some good songs on here. Not everything thrilled me. Mountain o’ things was really cool.

This was honestly pretty appealing to listen through. Not the most complex, but Tracy has some great vocals that really add a lot to what's going on. The acapella number was great. Fav tracks: Fast Car, Behind the Wall, Mountains O' Things, Why?

I still remember how this woman annoyed me with her omnipresent howl of accusations on the radio in the late 90s. But: This album has actually matured very, very well over the years, and I really enjoyed listening to it today.

An easy to listen to album; Tracy's voice is iconic.

it was fun

40/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

The hits are absolutely wonderful; it's not my style beyond that, but I could be swayed someday.

Far ahead of its time in terms of recognizing the modern challenges minority communities face. Blues music while a clear separation from traditional blues, musically. Love the simplicity of the vocals and acoustic sound.

Favourite Song: Talkin' Bout a Revolution This was a hard one. Absolutely love the first half the album, but I faded out during the second half. I originally rated it a 4 just due to the good songs, but I have to rate the entire album.

It's fine. Voice goes from interesting at the beginning then starts to wear on me. Overall pretty good.

- Fast Car is another LL Bean classic - A little slow for my tastes but very good production and vibes - 2.5 but I'll round up

Thought it was really good. Could see this one growing on me more the more I listen and process all of the lyrics. Even ignoring the lyrics this was fun to listen to. Rating: 3.3

Solid songwriting. Important topics and messages

Not really for me, I found Tracy's voice a bit irritating. I appreciate the subject matter, though it's not my favorite in song form. Favorite songs: Fast Car, She's Got Her Ticket, For My Lover

Delightful.

First two songs (including Fast Car) were amazing. Did not love the rest of the album.

Fast Car is without question an American classic but the whole album also deserves to be on this list. Songs like Behind the Wall, Across the Lines and Talkin’ Bout a Revolution could have been written today and still be relevant, but I also really enjoyed the more romantic, bittersweet edge of Baby Can I Hold You and If Not Now. I’m so happy to see that decades later she’s still getting recognition for her work.

Despite not having instruments, Behind the Wall got its message across loudly

I know this album well, and it has its high points, but there's too much filler too.

Fantastisk stemme!

Unik stemme og en plade med i hvert fald 3 bangers og 2 af dem lige i starten! Resten var ikke lige så godt. Der var ikke de samme hooks eller memorable dele af sangene.

De eerste twee nummers zijn enorm goed en de nummers daarna zijn eigenlijk allemaal minder dan die eerste twee. Vooral track 3 t/m 7 doen me erg weinig. Haar unieke stemgeluid wordt bij deze nummers toch wat saai om naar te luisteren, omdat de nummers wat te voorzichtig zijn. Track 8 en 9 springen er wel weer positief uit. De boodschap, hoe goed en sterk ook, kan me zoals bij alle albums die ik maar één keer luister eigenlijk gestolen worden. Ik denk dat dit album op dat vlak misschien wat punten zou kunnen scoren, maar dus niet bij mij. M'n verwachting voor Trees Kerelman was hoog, maar ik kan niet zeggen dat die verwachting wordt waargemaakt. Ik kan geen halve sterren geven en dus kom ik niet hoger dan een 3.

OK

Album opens strong but falls a bit in the second half bar “For My Lover.” Great singer with a unique voice, not a big fan of some of the choices made regarding instrumentals.

Entspanntes Album

An album of two halves, with the first half being much the stronger (Revolution, Fast Car, Baby can I hold you...). The subsequent songs lack the same impact and makes it harder to sustain interest

Tracy Chapman's music is a mood for sure. It isn't for everyone and it's certainly not for every mood. Despite this, this album is a must listen. The eponymous album is a strong showcase of talent of the folk rock/pop variety. Revitalized with Luke Comb's recent cover too, "Fast Car" is a timeless, thought provoking, yet completely smashing hit. I was thinking about this song all day and it nearly brought me to tears.

Powerful messages. Just sadly not my jam.

Fast Car, but that's about it. Lots of protest stuff.

Very enjoyable and the one-two punch of the opening tracks is amazing.

talking bout a revolution- um its fine. 4. fast car- um yeah 5 or 6 maybe. its interesting. across the lines- the lyrics are certainly interesting and how they address racism. also how she delivers the lyrics feels like shes trying to seem detached ?? idk. that all being said i am not the biggest fan of the song itself. whats being said though is important im just not a fan of this country ?? sound?? 5 behind the wall- the no instruments is scary. the lyrics are good too and it describes it perfectly but i dont like the execution tbh. 5 baby can i hold you- i dont care <3. 3 mountains o things- i still dont care dog im sorry. 4 i cant do this anymore fellas

סיפור מעניין מאוד שירים טובים אך לא מפוצצים

Hat Spaß gemacht:)

Entspanntes Album, um in den Morgen zu starten. Songs wie "Fast Car", "Baby Can I Hold You" oder "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" kennt man natürlich aus dem Radio (dass man sich so sehr an diese erinnert, heißt schon was, da ich seit Ewigkeiten eigentlich kein Radio mehr höre). Jedenfalls hätte ich nach dem ersten Song nicht gedacht, dass mich das Album wirklich abholt und unterhält, aber so irrt man sich. Im Flug war es vorbei. Auch wenn für mich kein Song besonders rausstach, kann man sich das Werk gut mal geben. Rating: 3 / 5 ⭐

I remember buying this album in 88 based off Fast Car, which is one of the best songs of the late 80s. I also remember being disappointed in the album. Now that I’m older and I appreciate music a little differently the album isn’t quite as bland as I remember. But it’s isn’t a whole lot better either. I’m giving this 3 stars instead of a 2 stars based on Fast Car, Talking Bout a Revolution, and Why.

3.2 - As I'm listening, I imagine two scenarios: 1. A precocious, rainbow-haired teenager lighting up a high school open mike that was organized by a well-meaning teacher who wanted to give the theater kids a social outlet. 2. a dinner party of 40-something professionals. Everyone is wearing earth-toned blazers, chatting politely and swirling glasses of expensive red wine. This CD is playing quietly in the background.

Not bad. Not great. Just middle

Solid

Some great songs. But found it a little bit samey after a while.

Such a strong and unique voice. Fast Car is and will always be a classic!

Didn't give it my 100% attention but aside from a few top songs it got a bit boring

Okay, not really my jam. Kinda borning.

It was okay

Knew more songs than I thought I would. Decent album although not usual thing.

Þetta var auðhlustanlegt. Ekki eitthvað sem ég sæki sjálfur mikið í en gæti sett þessa plötu á fóninn yfir sunnudagsmáltíðinni eða eitthvað í þá áttina. Fín rödd og góður músíkant. Fílaði samt ekki alveg spjalllagið.

Meh not my style.

I know Tracy Chapman and I know this album. I thought I knew the whole album pretty well but the last three songs did not seem familiar at all. They don’t really do it for me. Funny enough those are the ones that are more run of the mill love song lyrics and not the poignant society critical songs as the other songs on the album. I do like her voice and most of her song writing. Apparently not enough that I kept up with the rest of her work. Sure, I know a couple more songs of hers, it just doesn’t do it enough for me, to want to listen to all her albums and I’m usually good after listening to a couple songs at a time. So, I just read that a white country guy covered her song ‘Fast Car’ aaaand it’s exactly how she sings it including the part about working in the supermarket as a checkout girl. It just sounds and feels wrong. Yeah, nope.

Immediately recognisable signature voice,

Only knew the singles, the rest is not as good. Great voice though

Gar nicht mein Genre (wird es wahrscheinlich auch nie), aber einiges von Tracy Chapman kannte und mochte ich bereits (natürlich aber nur die Klassiker "Fast Car" und "Talkin Bout a Revolution"). Beim Anfang von "Across the Lines" dachte ich, dass ein Cover von "Moskau" kommt... "For you" ist ein wunderschönes Liebeslied, kommt direkt auf meine Hochzeitsplaylist. Fazit: viel Schönes und Interessantes (insb. Gesellschaftskritisches wie "Behind the Wall") dabei, aber die bekannten Klassiker sind oft doch am besten. Ist aber einfach nicht meine Musik und wird daher maximal zu ausgewählten Momenten gehört.

I know the singles off this album but I don’t think I’ve listened to the album before. I remember thinking that this was sort of easy-listening, but it is actually quite tough going in places with some justifiably angry lyrics about poverty and racial injustice. Reminiscent of singer songwriters from the 60s, but with a definite 80s polish in the sound quality.

Very strong start to the album, but lost me at some point and was bored by the end.

Not my style, but a very solid singer/songwriter album. Great voice. Probably won't listen it again, though.

Didn't think the first song was going to be a bop instantly, it was catchy, though she repeated the same phrase too much, that low-key made it better. I expect more for the next ones. Also the voice of her is soothing so can't complain about that. Well the fast cars is also sad in its way, Elton John vibes I must say, again catchy and I would definitely sing along to it. So far so good. Also she really loves repeating the chorus, and I'm here for it. Third song is literally about the problems of her time, racism and that kind of ugly stuff, love that. Even though the whole album, I think, will sound the same, it is soo listenable(sometimes it's just not for me). Also the song consists of "hook" and "post hook" haven't heard of that, unique for me. Okayy now domestic violence problem. And it's a cappella, made it better, the silence makes it more tragic to be honest. I was wrong about it having the same vibe, depending on this 4th song. Basically this drastic change was quite pleasant. Apparently her tone changed in the 5th song, since it's about her lover, and the fact that she wants to be loved some controversies about the lyrics made it more interesting and the fact that she perceives love differently. Oooh 6th one has a tropical vibe for sure, again wrong about the same vibe I said before. It's also about the philosophical problem, in particular being materialistic isn't the right choice when love exists. Apparently Beatles has a song about the same topic(not surprised). The instrumentals are soo calm and tropical, as I've said already. Hasn't been a song I wouldn't add to liked songs yet. The feminism/anti racist message is what 7th song is about. Tropical vibe stays, with some new instruments I don't know the names of. But this one is particularly optimistic, as "she's got her ticket" doesn't sound negative, especially in a song (could be wrong). On the other hand, there's this bridge between white and black people so this so called ticket it different for different race, quite sad still. "Why?" Already says a lot I should say, 8th song is about racism to sum it up. People still starving despite the enough food for them, the "love is hate, war is peace, no is yes and we'll all free" sounds like a powerful message, since it was also slogans from 1984 by George Orwell (that's what genius said). Basically global problems summed up in one song. I guessed this, and now I'm sure, she had a woman lover, makes this whole experience better I suppose, she was also arrested for it. She's trying to say that being dependent on social ideals is not a way to live a life and I guess one of them includes her being a lesbian, lovely, too lazy to check other deep meanings for now. Noo the chorus repeating in the 10th song is one of the best, since it makes me sad even more. But I haven't cried to a song yet don't know why I just can't, but I would have definitely if I was emotional enough. Also it has no Meaning written in genius so I took it literally and another reason to be sad apparently. Last song, the guitar in this one and throughout the album was definitely doing its job pretty well, loved every moment listening to it. The last two songs I think are about her love, she supposedly lost control, thing she didn't think would happen, quite relatable, no longer a master of her emotions she says. Ending quite sad, I still feel like this kind of sadness is caused by something, which I don't know, and I'm lazy to check it All and all, this was a great experience, couldn't have wished more, and idk if this will be shared to everyone (I only wrote this for me soo). Talking to future me to listen to this whenever feeling philosophical or anti delightful. Forgot to say, my rating is based on whether I'll listen to it again or not, not how influential or deep the lyrics were, that's not how I listen to music.

3.5/5

woow, that girl has a unique voice!!! (please don't let her sing ever again, she sounds like she just got kicked in the balls)

Listened on 30th December 2023.

This was good. I remember when this came out but never listened to anything but Fast Car.

Sjunger mkt bra. Har ett uppenbart socialt patos vilket ska premieras. Dock är det bara hitsen som är verkligt bra. Ska man vara riktigt noga är det egentligen bara Fast Car som verkligen lyfter. Baby Can I hold you är ok bra men känns samtidigt lite som nåt som skulle kunna vara med i en sketch om en man som vill sätta på en låt för att skapa lite knullig stämning.

Aldrig lyssnat på Tracy annat än hitsen. Det är framför allt de två första låtarna. Som är väldigt bra! Bäst utöver de två är "baby can i hold you" For you också bra. Gillar det överlag. Hon har ju en riktigt cool röst! Hade väl helst hört någon till riktigt bra låt. Men hittills har det ju visats vara svårt med album. Allt för många dussinlåtar.

Några låtar är klockrena men några är sömnpiller men ändå en stabil 3a.

Absolute fire!!! Unique voice. Amazing lyrics

She's definitely talented, and has a strong social conscience. Pretty good songs too! Nothing less than good on my first impression. A fairly strong album.

Fast car earns this an extra star, the rest of the album went by largely unnoticed, liked that it was chilled but not gonna rush back to it

It’s a good album, and Fast Car is iconic. It’s an incredibly important album and one of the biggest selling albums of all time. However…I just struggle to connect to it. I don’t know why, it’s a good album, for sure,but that’s as far as it goes. Lyrically, it’s brilliant. It is timeless in that if I don’t know any better you could convince me it was released today, but still. Three stars

Nothing too special except for the voice

enjoyed it, soulful

gets pretty samey but still enjoyed bits

vroom vroom

The lyrics are pretty well crafted and she is a gr8 poet but I found the accompanying instrumentals too boring to enjoy it. Also fast car has been previously ruined for me. This is queer on queer violence. Sorry Tracy.

Good but dated.

Viele alte Bekannte, aber aus der Zeit gefallen

Fine. I remember Fast Car being a hit when I was a kid. That song seemed to be everywhere for a while!

Good voice, but not my type of music.

Niet alle nummers waren even overtuigend.

The middest

Gott

Das Album wurde noch vor den Loudness Wars gemastert. Es hat den Anspruch, dass man sich aktiv damit beschäftigt und es nicht noch mit zig andere Lärmquellen damit konkurrenzieren muss. Als es noch Schallplatten gab, durfte die Musik nicht zu laut sein, weil sonst die Nadel aus der Rille gehüpft wäre.

Easy listening, decent

A good collection of folk rock songs by Tracy Chapman. Her voice is beautiful and storytelling is also good, the songs are really sad because she experienced a lot of hardships in her life but she presents them in an accessible way. Some songs are a bit too samey to me musically. Overall good though not sure I'd want to listen to it again soon (because of the heaviness of the lyrics). 3.5/5.

Political folk with 80’s pop production. Some good songs here. Solid.

I will probably like this and also be sad. Ok so the thing I am most impressed with is the assurance in her voice. She sounds remarkably mature for someone in her early twenties and her projection is fantastic. The first two tracks are the most familiar to me and are the strongest—one could almost make the case that you don’t need much more than that—but for me the rest of the album wound up being unmemorable. But god damn, Fast Car is probably one of the best songs ever written, it’s so fucking good and Jesus is it sad.

3.5/5

It was good, but sad. I saved a couple songs. She seemed to have experience difficult circumstances - poverty, racism, DV, etc. I really would love to hear a younger female singer cover her song For My Lover in a simple way because the lyrics are beautiful. 3/5 because I would not listen to it again as its not my music taste but it was still good.

Blast from the past great artist and songs

Fast Car has a great hook, a lot of heart in the sadly timeless theme of deadbeat dads. I'm tired of it, but just because I'm tired of it doesn't mean it's not good. The rest I find a little same-y and inoffensive. I've had this forever and never listen to any of it. Still, I'm going to round up to 3.

Had no idea Chapman was so politically radical (in both senses of the word). Hard for me to get past the super slick late 80s early 90s singer songwriter sheen, from a sonic taste perspective, but it was doable, and this is a good one. Pulls no punches.

The first two tracks are really good; Fast Car is a banger. She has a good voice. While the production can be somewhat simple most of the time she carries the album with how good her voice is. The slower songs aren't really for me, but I can tell that they are good. This is a strong 3/5

It feels odd for me to call a political album plain, especially considering how it’s been many years since its original release and I have no way of truly knowing how this record fit in the musical landscape of its time, but it’s the main impression I got from this. Chapman is an effective storyteller and though I can recognize the power in her direct songwriting, a lot of the messages and sentiments she communicates through these songs have unfortunately become cliches with time. It’s of no fault of her own, though, but to me, all of the history that happened after this album’s release has only rendered these stories far too familiar in a demoralizing way. It didn’t help that a few of these songs aren’t really musically interesting to me, which I’m sure was meant to draw more attention to her lyricism, but to me, it only served to dull the power in her statements. It was a pleasant and relatable listen, but unfortunately it didn’t do much else for me. Fav tracks: Talkin’ Bout a Revolution, Fast Car, For My Lover, For You

2,5

I knew Fast car and the album was interesting enough to me to listen to again at some point.

Fast Car, Talking About a Revolution and (tho I don't like) Baby Can I Hold You are all serious tunes. Backed up by a pretty strong set of album cuts. The production is uber eighties, reminiscent of Paul Simon/Peter Gabriel at the time. It's a definitive three, but no more.

I never really got into the contemporary/soft rock scene of the 80’s and 90’s and lamentably didn’t recognize any of the songs here except “Fast Car.” That was definitely a staple on 98.3 The Key haha. Not a huge fan of the style/genre of music at first listen but there is certainly some important social commentary on this album- “Behind the Wall” was jarring, heartbreaking, and realistic. There’s something special about an artist’s first album- something they write and record often before having any fame, accolades, expectations, etc. (side note: that’s why you’ll hear about lackluster sophomore albums; the second album is really hard for a lot of artists to pull off after a successful debut). This is a great album from a singer-songwriter that went huge right after its release so this is the real deal, straight from her soul. Three stars for straight sound and enjoyment on my first listen, but more like four for content, cultural significance, songwriting value, etc. could I give this 3.5?

Solid 3/5 would listen to again but wouldn't necessarily seek it out.

#11. I have heard of Tracy Chapman before, but never actually listened to her music. It started out slow, but picked up a bit in the middle. This Lilith Fair kinda music isn't my really my jam, but I thought it was decent overall. 3/5: acceptable

Soulful, but overall a little too soulful. I can see why most of the tracks never made it to the Top 40.

FAST CAR!!!!!!!

Mega Klassiker. Schön, aber nicht ganz mein Sound

I liked fast car, but everything else on this album was forgettable. It was just simple easy listening music that didn't leave any impressions on me.

Great lyricism cant deny that. Just a bit boring to be honest. maybe I am desensitized but sociopolitical commentary such as "war bad peace good" and "dont beat ur spouse" isnt necessarily groundbreaking I am without a doubt being reductive, but there were few moments in this album that were actually interesting sonically.

Meh

new one for me

Good.

First time listening to the whole album. It incredible songwriting, pure, raw, heartwarming and touching. Her voice and tone is beautiful. The classics are great as always and nurtured by these lesser known songs with just as hard hitting stories.

Notable: Fast Car, Behind The Wall, Baby Can I Hold You, If Not Now...

Lovely popular music

The songs is political, a little sad. Overall, I wouldn't want to listen to it again. 3 stars. The second half gets better than the middle. The middle dropped but Why is a good song.

Quiet folk pop acoustic-guitar driven songs that emphasize Tracy Chapman's distinctive voice: kind of nasal/heady nearly yodeling on the highs, rich and warm in the lows, controlled and expressive in a deceptively wide range. The solo acoustic stuff is bit boring, her best songs bring in a backing band to speed things up and have a rich full sound and very pretty accents. Fast Car is such a great song, the simple guitar hook rising and falling restlessley, the call and response vocal urgently optimistic but full of ordinary disappointment, the big chorus's meaning shifting with each iteration of slow heartbreak.

Tracy Chapman seems honest, debuting; Fair play to her. There are the obvious song survivors, and plenty of equal quality. Everything's cut a bit short, clear, deliberate. Fault of the form, not the artist, perhaps, boxes for emotions that can neither hold nor burst.

Fast Car is an incredible track. The rest of the album really doesn't hit as hard. Not bad per se, but very middle-of-the-road and hard to give my full attention to. I'm not sure that this album would have gotten the ratings it did, or be on this list, without the inclusion of Fast Car. Fave tracks: Fast Car

Lyrically and musically superb, but just a little too dull for me.

'Fast Car' and 'Talkin' Bout A Revolution' are fantastic tracks- but the rest of the album is thoroughly forgettable generic singer-songwriter tracks. I know that some of that is because her album inspired a revival of the genre, and so a lot of those artists were following in her footsteps, but I still feel like this album was missing just one or two more good songs.

not my cup of tea

Not my cup of tea but I like the song give me one more reason

Liked the first half more

woman on guitar with drums on almost all songs. Interesting lyrics about overcoming poverty and issues with police etc, but finding the love in the middle of it criticises society/system without sounding overly pissed off at it not the biggest vocal range, songs sounded quite same-y, but was a good listen. quite slow pace for songs, you want to listen to the lyrics of the songs

Chill, short, good lounge music

3,5!

Fuck Boyzone, all hail Tracy Chapman!

Fast Car >>>>>>>> DECENT

Interesting, a lot of talent, not really my thing

-didn’t write a BL- AL: a solid album. Fast Car is a song I’ve known for all my life. The rest of them were very nice and soulful ballads. Definitely worth the listen, the only thing that was lacking in my opinion was diversity in the instrumentation. Otherwise excellent. FT: “Fast Car”, “Baby Can I Hold You” 3/5

It’s a strong record - and very angry but poignant - just not my genre. Her voice is lovely - her writing is also wonderfully political and human.

I know this is all political and stuff, but for some reason it doesn’t hit me the way it feels like it should. I don’t know whether it’s the instrumentation or the lyrics that I’m not a fan of. For the record, I like ‘Fast Car’ and ‘Behind The Wall’. This record is just whatever to me. I don’t mind its inclusion, though.

так себе

3.5

Album opens with folk-pop Talkin' Bout a Revolution. Fine if not somewhat boring song -- she's got a solid voice. Didn't know Fast Car was by Tracy Chapman. This song used to be everywhere growing up. Always found the guitar to be incredibly catchy with a chorus that makes anyone think they can sing along. Jam. Not my closest listen, but Across the Lines seems to be a song about racial inequality in America. Pretty, but sad song. Behind the Wall is an incredibly evocative social commentary touching on the fact that police never come fast enough and there is no point to call. Sung completely A Capella, emphasizes the focus on the subject matter at hand. Her voice is like butter... Baby Can I Hold You seems oddly placed following Behind the Wall. I understand you gotta pay the bills, but the juxtaposition is a bit jarring. Back to social commentary, Mountains O' Things is a song about materialism told over a smattering of percussion. Tuned out for a couple songs... For My Lover comes back with a folk-country sounding song. I like the roll of it. All said, I'm glad for this album to have come up on this list. While it isn't something I will come back to for repeated listens, I'm glad for the experience. Tracy Chapman has a beautifully smooth voice and she uses it mostly to speak of social issues. I found the first half of the album to be more interesting than the later and kind of tuned out towards the end. Standouts to me are Fast Car, Behind the Wall, and Fore My Lover. I'm a pretty solid 3 / 5 here.

I had only heard Reel Big Fish's Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution but this one makes me want to run for city council more to start my revolution. Definitely have heard Fast Car. This is a solid tune that's easy to get stuck in your head. I'll probably be humming it later tonight. I do like Across the Lines. The next couple songs were kinda boring. I know the lyrics represent something deeper I'm just working and it's not evoking the emotions I'm sure it's supposed to. Mountains O things is straight out of Tarzan! Overall the lyrics and voice are really strong. Still not my cup o tea but she is certainly powerful.

one of the better folks, has like three of four songs I'd re-listen to. Deserved three stars just because I don't really like folk. I prefer my music to not be a snoozefest

3/5. I enjoyed this album. It showed a lot of Tracy’s range, but suffered at times from the same singing style. Her Pro-Black, Pro-Women stances made this album one of tragedy and I thought those stances helped her dig deeper into her emotions.

Am important musician with important messages, but this debut felt a bit flat to me.

# 25 : I've always liked fast car and I found this a pleasant album with some good listening songs. 256 on Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time!

Lovely voice (whisper it - boring songs)

Tracy Chapman earns her singer/songwriter chops with here. 3.5/5.

Ik heb dit vroeger grijs gedraaid. Vooral de eerste helft is briljant, maar daarna zakt het toch een beetje in.

Mooi maar niet helemaal mijn geluid. Wat schandalig is, is dat ik ‘Baby can I hold you’ alleen van Boyzone kende.

This was pretty melancholy

The singles are great

Poignant lyrics that paint pictures, swell you up with emotions and sweep you off your feet. Nearly each song has the simple arrangement of Tracy's voice, her guitar and a drummer colored by some percussion. At times a few additional instruments join the formula. It feels barebones yet full and strong.

The hits are still hits but the rest is simply the rest…

As much as I like Tracy Chapman’s singing and excellent songwriting, the album didn’t hold up as well for me as I’d hoped it would.

Fast Car on kyllä hieno kappale. Muuten ihan jees jees jepaa

Talkin bout a revolution and Fast Car are obviously enormous hits, as a beginner guitarist among the first songs I learned to play. The rest of the record couldn't quite keep up, but it was solid. Why and Across the lines stood out as well.

Ehkä miespuolinen Joni Mitchell mutta tenhoavampi. A-puoli oli tosi hyvä, B-puolelle olisi tarvittu päräytyävämpää vaihtelua. Jännä ääni (Ed Sheeran kuulostaa tältä)

Yeah yeah yeah, “Fast Car” aside, a lot of these lyrics are too heart on sleeve and obvious. The political songwriting is so overt Phil Ochs would blush, the playing is expert but standard. One’s more likely to fall asleep than take action after listening to this.

Good

3/5

first time listening have heard fast car

Pleasant enough to listen to, good stuff. She has a wonderful voice.

Great album, with an iconic song. Good vibes, would definitely listen to again over the summer

3.5

what do I have to say about this one... It has some really good lyrics and Tracy's got a beautiful voice. I do think that some of the songs can be a bit boring and annoying... All in All 6.5/10 (3/5)

This album was nice, easy listening. She has a soulful, sincere voice. The sound doesn't deviate a whole lot throughout except for that one song with only vocals. Overall, it's not my taste, but also wasn't bad so I'll give it an average rating.

Was a phenomenon, wasn't it, her sudden rise. Was it about the public's hunger for authenticity or need for quiet, simple and relatable tunes? Today, this feels a bit pallid, a touch tepid. The distance between the grimness of the material and the neutral (almost numb) delivery is quite striking. No doubting that "Fast Car" is a great song. And shame it feels so relevant today.

If I could give a "music that everyone likes award" it would be this, classics but nothing that is exceptional. It's just good, nothing more, nothing less

Cualquier cosa compuesta y producida en los '90 está bien.

приятно вечерком послушать алкоальбом: под бутылочку белого

одна из немногих акустик, которой я даже думал ставить 4, ну вкусно. но все таки 3+

Vreemd dat artiesten met veel muzikale creativiteit op de eigen naam als titel uitkomen. Zit de creativiteit dan alleen in het muzikale hokje? Afgaand op de titel draait het nu allemaal om Tracy zelf. Terwijl Tracy best wat te vertellen heeft, zoals in de ijzersterke hit. Normaal zie ik zang vooral als instrument en let ik niet zo op de tekst. Maar zonder enige inspanning komt de tekst van Tracy vrij makkelijk binnen. Dat is een prestatie op zichzelf. Dat gezegd hebbende duren de 36 minuten van Tracy wel erg lang. De eerste twee nummers luister ik met plezier. Maar daarna haak ik toch echt af. 2 sterren voor het album als geheel en een halve bonus-ster voor de eerste twee nummers.

Het is eigenlijk akoestische muziek, maar de jaren 80 hebben een iets te grote invloed qua drums. Het lijkt wel of er gated reverb is toegepast, waardoor die drums een enorme echo krijgen. En zo pleuren ze er wel meer synthesizergeluidjes, panfluiten en irritante tingeltjes in, die totaal onnodig zijn. Het zijn prachtige ingetogen liedjes, waarbij al die jaren 80 poespas eromheen volgens mij alleen maar storend werkt. Hier hadden ze echt een moderne muzikaal uitgeklede remaster van moeten maken: alleen Tracy met haar gitaar. Al vrees ik ook een beetje voor dat het dan iets teveel richting de door mij zo gehate Joni Mitchell gaat, want daar haalt Tracy wel iets teveel de mosterd vandaan soms. Afgezien van die jaren 80 productie, staan de liedjes op zichzelf keurig overeind en heb ik ook dit weer met plezier geluisterd. Ik twijfel tussen 3 of 4 sterren. Nog een keer geluisterd op maandagochtend. Er staan een aantal sterke nummers tussen, maar ook wat mindere. Hoe geengageerd te teksten zijn, heb ik me nooit door laten beinvloeden. Dus ook nu niet, 3+ sterretjes.

Genres: Contemporary folk, folk rock, roots rock Formed: 1987? Run time: 11 songs, 36 min, 9 sec It’s a great album with many accolades and awards. Three singles were released from the album: Track 2, "Fast Car" (677M plays on Spotify), Track 1, "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" (153M plays) and Track 5, "Baby Can I Hold You" (266M plays). All were successful. Every other track on the album has over 9M plays. Tracy sings about life (in general and sometimes specifically black lives). Singer songwriters generally create songs with great stories and meaning and Tracy Chapman is no exception to that rule. I loved the three singles mentioned above. The others are good, but didn’t capture me in the same way. I probably won’t listen to the album again, but I will look for other songs by her. When Spotify finishes an album it plays something equivalent. It chose Neil Young and David Grey, which is quite good company to be in! My Rating: ***

Not the biggest fan of folk music, but it was pretty good. It deserves another listen when I'm not working, though overcoming my allergic reaction to lyrics is hard.

Two tracks carry this album. Buts it’s not too bad of a coffee house record

Good lyrics. Not my thing though.

Det fortjener måske en ekstra stjerne, men jeg hørte det desværre ikke 100% koncentreret.

Rentoa ja helppoa kuunneltavaa. Pari biisiä oli entuudestaan tuttuja korvaan, mutta esittäjästä ei sitten mitään tietoa. Taipuu kolmoseen ja voisipa testata jotain muutakin ko. artisin musaa.

Chilli ja kesäinen. Sopi aurinkoiseen kevätpäivään autoa ajellessa ja sai hyvälle tuulelle

Fast car must be one of the biggest hits in the last decades, and rightfully so, it's a great track. Talkin' bout a revolution stood out to me too as great track which I hadn't heard before. The rest kind of blended together. Listening to two albums in one day might have been a bit much as the style is a bit similar to the first album "American Pie" and i got a bit fatigued towards the end. I feel I would've liked it more if circumstances were different. A tentative 3 stars, might have to give this one a second chance.

Inoffensive, mellow but I didn’t want a second listen. I appreciate the musicianship, just a 3*

Very pleasant. Although I have to say that I was expecting to like it more.

Fantastic voice and flattened music. It is not unlikeable, and it's clear that this influenced some modern songs, but it's forgettable.

A storyteller album, more Springsteen than Dylan The stories still seem relevant today, the folkie style aged ok

You forget how good some of her songs are, since Fast Car is so overplayed.

I long for more Fast Car. Unfortunately the rest of the album doesn't fulfill that wish.

She's a talented songwriter and musician, and should appeal to fans of Tom Petty. However, as much as I appreciate the skill, that style is just not my thing.

The good songs are really good. The remaining songs feel heavily dated (like late 80s chipper and wonderful), which is ironic since the message is dark. Tracy's a talented musician and singer, but outside of a few songs, I don't feel like this one holds up too well with time.

no bad songs but no stand out good songs really either. i feel like this would be a good album to play at a dinner party

nice

I know and love 'Fast Car', so I was expecting the rest of the album to also impress me. It didn't, it just kind of exists unremarkably and without sparking much controversy. I didn't dislike it, but exceedingly average results is failure in my book.

Let’s start with the fact that Fast Cars was, is, and always will be transcendental. If I’m being purely subjective on the whole album, it’s clear that the reason Tracy is on here is because of her lyrics. They are moving and they themselves are worthy of a 4 or 5. But instrumentally, this is nothing more than trashy acoustic calypso worthy of a 1 or 2. I’ll settle in the middle at a 3.

Not my cup of tea but a decent album. Starts strong but the second half fades. If you're into folk but with a social conscious and not lovey-dovey hippie folk, this is the album for you.

not may style

''fast cars oon kuullu varmaan mikäs miteä mieltä olet'' jassoo... katotaas... Souiremebervennviiveere draiving, draivinginyurcaer Speedsofastitfeltlikewasdrunk Citylaitssleiautbeforeus Andyourarmfletnocewradrndshldr And aaiaaai had afeeling that I belonged aaaiai had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone vai että sortuja lyrics..... ovi auki naps, vilkutus taakse, ovi kiinni poks ja yksi pykälä albumi alemmas heh... muistetaan sitten ensi kerralla ne yhteiset pelisäännöt for my lover

Relembrou os programas de rádios com as músicas românticas clássicas do final dos anos 80, por motivos de "Fast Car" e "Baby Can I Hold You". Realmente a voz e violão funcionou muito bem ao longo dos 36 minutos.

I intend on being overly cautious with these initial reviews since this in particular is the very first album I've listened to for this. I imagine I'll get better at articulating my thoughts on these over time. My first impressions were slightly mixed, since I haven't previously listened to much music of this genre nor from this era. I come from an Electronica/IDM background so I tend to have difficulty following and understanding vocals, however Tracy's excellent and clear vocal performances throughout the album made this pretty easy. Fast Cars was a familiar song, and I loved the percussion from Mountain O' Things. On a second listen, I also warmed up to Talkin' Bout a Revolution, which became one of my favorite songs of the album. After processing the LP some more and giving it another listen, I also warmed up to For My Lover. Overall, while I don't see myself returning to this album as I found my enjoyment of most of the tracks to be fairly neutral, it wasn't insulting enough to my ears to warrant a 2. It seems like a perfect introductory album, a very good example of a 3.

Fast car banger. Others were decent.

Folk. Muy buena voz pero un poco aburrido.

What an extraordinary voice. I don’t think I realised how young she was when she recorded this. Fast Car is amazing despite years of overplay on the radio. Talking bout a revolution and Baby can I hold you are also brilliant. The latter is incredible when juxtaposed with Behind the Wall on the album If the rest gets a little samey, it doesn’t diminish how brilliant the high points are of this album

There's something I love about this album in a nostalgic, boring, VH1 sort of way. Fast Car is a great song. I don't think anything else lives up to that one, though. Tracy's voice is perfect for this. I love the production on it. But nothing gets under my skin better than Fast Car.

Good songwriting (if a little worthy), plasticky sub-Gabriel production, a voice I don't particularly care for, a few brave choices with arrangements...that's a three star album, baby!

Quite enjoyed this! Just a nice voice, interesting lyrics and solid melodies.

Fast Car is the standout song, great bit of story telling and an instantly recognisable guitar hook. Bit too far down the complaint rock road for me but can't help admire her commitment.

It can sound rather revolutionary, but can also sound rather dated

Soulful and pretty, but at times a little boring.

The album is alright and some of the songs are pretty good but I got tired of the singer's voice about 10 minutes in. These overdrawn, shakira-like notes are like nails on a chalkboard after you hear them for the dozenth time

Some good bits. Nice background music

I liked it. I had heard a few of them before, but not all of them.

Tough one, wish I could rate 3.5 stars - adore some songs but some not. Unique voice, will return to a few songs not the album.

why, why did Boyzone cover this

I've only listened to Fast Car before and wasn't surprised that it appears on this album. Tracy got a unique and impactful singing voice that's impossible not to like. Not really my thing but still good.