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Tracy Chapman (Music)

 Tracy Chapman (Music)
type
TVTItem
 Tracy Chapman (Music)
label
Tracy Chapman (Music)
 Tracy Chapman (Music)
page
TracyChapman
 Tracy Chapman (Music)
comment
Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer/songwriter who first rose to fame in 1988 with the hit "Fast Car" from her self-titled debut album; the album also earned her the Best New Artist Grammy that year. Chapman was at first regarded as something of an oddity, in that she was a black woman who played guitar and wrote songs that were best classified as "alternative folk", but her strong, melodic voice, socially conscious lyrics, and solid musical talent made people sit up and take notice.She largely avoided the "Best New Artist" curse, as her biggest hit, the bluesy "Give Me One Reason" reached #3 on the Billboard chart in 1997 and won the Grammy for Best Rock Song, but she has more or less remained a cult artist, with a small but extremely devoted fanbase.Chapman is also known for her activism, supporting such causes as Amnesty International, Make Poverty History, and has long supported the city school system in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. In fact, her activism was part of what brought her to fame in the first place, with "Fast Car" becoming her first hit after she performed it at a charity concert held to protest The Apartheid Era and celebrate Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday.
 Tracy Chapman (Music)
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2024-02-18T15:16:42Z
 Tracy Chapman (Music)
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2024-02-18T15:16:42Z
 Tracy Chapman (Music)
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DBTropes
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_16d8476f
type
Protest Song
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_16d8476f
comment
Protest Song: A lot of 'em. "Talkin' Bout A Revolution", "Across The Lines" and "America" among others. "Fast Car" also counts, albeit in a Springsteen-esque tragic ballad style.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_16d8476f
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_16d8476f
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_2472c017
type
Abuse Discretion Shot
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_2472c017
comment
Abuse Discretion Shot: "Behind the Wall" is about a neighbor having to listen to the loud voices of an ugly and abusive domestic situation going on next door and knowing that she can't do anything about it because "the police always come late if they come at all", and even when they come, they say they can't intervene with what's going on. The song ends with a horrible silence following the screaming one night, followed by an ambulance coming to the building, implying that the worst has happened.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_2472c017
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_2472c017
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_3ad27180
type
The Chain of Harm
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_3ad27180
comment
The Chain of Harm: The narrator of "Fast Car" remarks that her father is a broken-down alcoholic, and her mother subsequently left because she "wanted more from life than he could give." The singer hopes to break the chain with her boyfriend, but they ultimately end up stuck in the same situation, with the narrator taking on all of the financial and family responsibilities while her partner "stays out drinking late at the bars." At the end of the song, the narrator kicks him out, telling him to "take your fast car and keep on driving."
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_3ad27180
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_3fd85249
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Singer-Songwriter
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_3fd85249
comment
Singer-Songwriter
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_3fd85249
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_3fd85249
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_40cc0c7e
type
Bittersweet Ending
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_40cc0c7e
comment
The narrator of "Fast Car" has, by the end, realized that her boyfriend and the father of her children is a deadbeat who will never help her or the kids, and she kicks him to the curb. Possibly more of a Bittersweet Ending, since the narrator seems to have escaped poverty (she says "I got a job that pays all our bills"), but her boyfriend isn't a good partner or parent. And instead of her leaving her family like her mother did, she gives her partner an ultimatum: he leave with his fast car, or get his act together.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_40cc0c7e
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_40cc0c7e
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_45ca5950
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Never Accepted in His Hometown
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_45ca5950
comment
Never Accepted in Her Hometown: Her fan base is, or at least was initially, mostly white. She has been disparaged by other black musicians, such as Chuck D, for her choice of genre.
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_45ca5950
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_4b1ca7d2
type
Genre Roulette
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_4b1ca7d2
comment
Genre Roulette: Sometimes its folk, sometimes its pop, sometimes its blues, but it's always good.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_4b1ca7d2
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_4b1ca7d2
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_4e3d253b
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Downer Ending
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_4e3d253b
comment
Downer Ending: The narrator of "Fast Car" has, by the end, realized that her boyfriend and the father of her children is a deadbeat who will never help her or the kids, and she kicks him to the curb. Possibly more of a Bittersweet Ending, since the narrator seems to have escaped poverty (she says "I got a job that pays all our bills"), but her boyfriend isn't a good partner or parent. And instead of her leaving her family like her mother did, she gives her partner an ultimatum: he leave with his fast car, or get his act together. "Behind the Wall" ends with an ambulance coming to the building following a horrible silence following the screaming one night, implying that the victim of the abuse that's been going on has either been seriously hurt or killed.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_4e3d253b
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_4e3d253b
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_53224e46
type
Bookends
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_53224e46
comment
Bookends: "Fast Car" begins with the narrator taking care of her alcoholic father, her mother having skipped out years before. By the end of the song, that's exactly what the narrator does with her deadbeat partner.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_53224e46
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_53224e46
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_590eb583
type
Domestic Abuse
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_590eb583
comment
Domestic Abuse: The subject matter of "Behind the Wall". The violence itself is not described beyond "loud voices behind the wall," but it's bad enough that an ambulance comes to the scene after a horrible silence that chills the narrator's soul following the screaming one night, suggesting that the worst has happened. Also referenced in "Why" with the line, "Why is a woman still not safe when she's in her home?"
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_590eb583
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_59907e4f
type
Police Are Useless
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_59907e4f
comment
Police Are Useless: In "Behind The Wall", Tracy sings about how the police are useless when it comes to the horrible situation in the song — not only do they come late if they come at all, but they're disinclined to deal with domestic abuse situations.
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 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_5a268981
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Three Chords and the Truth
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_5a268981
comment
Three Chords and the Truth: The genesis of her style, particularly evident on Tracy Chapman.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_5a268981
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_5a268981
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_71067de4
type
12-Bar Blues
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_71067de4
comment
12-Bar Blues: Is a big fan of the blues, and got her biggest hit with the classic blues "Give Me One Reason".
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_71067de4
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 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_7d89315b
type
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_7d89315b
comment
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: "Mountain O' Things" is this to people who have a lot of money and fancy things but don't do anything with them. The narrator of "Fast Car" gives one to her alcoholic partner:
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_7d89315b
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_7d89315b
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_8071d6ed
type
Alcoholic Parent
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_8071d6ed
comment
Alcoholic Parent: The father of "Fast Car"'s narrator.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_8071d6ed
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 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_af26b36a
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The One Who Made It Out
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_af26b36a
comment
The One Who Made It Out: "Fast Car" uses this at least metaphorically if not literally in a narrative about escaping one's problems.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_af26b36a
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 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_b28a8d0a
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Break-Up Song
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_b28a8d0a
comment
Break-Up Song: "Fast Car" reveals itself to be one in the last verse.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_b28a8d0a
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 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_b3f77675
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Grass Is Greener
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_b3f77675
comment
Grass Is Greener: "Fast Car" is basically about running away from your problems in the hope for a better life when in fact, the grass really isn't greener on the other side.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_b3f77675
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 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_c3accb7c
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Double Speak
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_c3accb7c
comment
Double Speak: Invoked in "Why", as Chapman calls out the contradiction of deadly missiles being called "Peace Keepers".
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_c3accb7c
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 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_c6b75b76
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A cappella
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_c6b75b76
comment
A Cappella: "Behind the Wall".
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_c6b75b76
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 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_c6c80991
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Dreadlock Rasta
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_c6c80991
comment
Dreadlock Rasta: For the 'rebelling against authority' reason.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_c6c80991
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 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_ca834552
type
Self-Titled Album
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_ca834552
comment
Self-Titled Album: Her 1988 debut, Tracy Chapman.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_ca834552
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Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_ca834552
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_d9761a10
type
Performance Video
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_d9761a10
comment
Performance Video: "Give Me One Reason", which is filmed as if it was in a blues club.
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_d9761a10
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 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_dd9fba61
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A Rare Sentence
 Tracy Chapman (Music) / int_dd9fba61
comment
A Rare Sentence: "Fast Car" is a variation. It's easily Chapman's biggest hit and an extremely popular song, but its subject matter—generational poverty, an abandoned daughter dropping out of school to care for her alcoholic father, The Chain of Harm, and ultimately bittersweet liberation—aren't exactly common topics for mainstream radio.
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Tracy Chapman (Music)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Tracy Chapman (Music)
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A cappella / int_3fe3e5e8
 Tracy Chapman (Music)
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Abuse Discretion Shot / int_3fe3e5e8
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African-American Creators / int_3fe3e5e8
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Age-Progression Song / int_3fe3e5e8
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American Music / int_3fe3e5e8
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Car Song / int_3fe3e5e8
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Children Do the Housework / int_3fe3e5e8
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Dead Sparks / int_3fe3e5e8
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Driving Song / int_3fe3e5e8
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First and Foremost / int_3fe3e5e8
 Tracy Chapman (Music)
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Grass Is Greener / int_3fe3e5e8
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Lyric Swap / int_3fe3e5e8
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Music of Note / int_3fe3e5e8
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Protest Song / int_3fe3e5e8
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