Tracy Chapman makes history

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love the original, but I don't hate the cover and am glad the song is getting a second life.

Now, Jonas Blue's dance club remix on the other hand.....

Took a vacation that summer in Europe, was catchy when I heard it the first time. The next 300 times, not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She wrote it from a gay perspective about a female lover.

Interesting. Works for a partner of any gender (who likes fast cars) which is why this song will continue to be covered. I actually wish he had changed the lyric to checkout guy but that doesn't seem to matter to his fans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She wrote it from a gay perspective about a female lover.

That's not what she, herself, has said. In a 1996 interview, she said that it was loosely based on her parents, who had been young, poor and not educated when they started out (and who split up).

It's considered a 'lesbian anthem' but she didn't write it that way according to her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s really interesting that he didn’t change any of the lyrics to reflect he is singing. He sings about being a “check out girl”. I like that he kept the original lyrics, but Chapman’s version is so much better. I listened to her version freshman year at Berkeley over and over and over again.

I noticed that too!

I'm not a country music fan (didn't even know who this guy was until he covered this song) but as a Gen-Xer, of course I know the origional backwards and forwards. I think it's a good cover, and it's nice that the song has new life. Luke Combs said he loves the song because he used to hear it as a child riding with his Dad in Dad's F150. Clearly, that song made an impression on him, like it has on so many people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She wrote it from a gay perspective about a female lover.

That's not what she, herself, has said. In a 1996 interview, she said that it was loosely based on her parents, who had been young, poor and not educated when they started out (and who split up).

It's considered a 'lesbian anthem' but she didn't write it that way according to her.

NP. I don't really care for the song at all but I do like some of her others. I learned yesterday (after looking up the cover, which I hadn't heard) that Tracy Chapman and Alice Waters had a love affair in the mid-90s. No idea!

[Anonymous]

reminds me of driving around NE ohio with my mom in the 90s.

champan is from CLE

its a good cover. this album gives me chills every time.

good for her to get those royalties!

thanks for the memory

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s really interesting that he didn’t change any of the lyrics to reflect he is singing. He sings about being a “check out girl”. I like that he kept the original lyrics, but Chapman’s version is so much better. I listened to her version freshman year at Berkeley over and over and over again.

Came here for this comment! I listened to Luke’s version on repeat on my way home. Curious choice to sing about being a “checkout girl.” It takes him out of character and that’s jarring to me.

I’d love to know the reasoning behind singing Chapman’s song exactly as it was written.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s really interesting that he didn’t change any of the lyrics to reflect he is singing. He sings about being a “check out girl”. I like that he kept the original lyrics, but Chapman’s version is so much better. I listened to her version freshman year at Berkeley over and over and over again.

Came here for this comment! I listened to Luke’s version on repeat on my way home. Curious choice to sing about being a “checkout girl.” It takes him out of character and that’s jarring to me.

I’d love to know the reasoning behind singing Chapman’s song exactly as it was written.

Reminiscent of John Prine singing “Angel from Montgomery” with a female narrator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She is now the first African-American woman to write a #1 country song.

https://www.billboard.com/music/country/tracy-chapman-first-black-woman-sole-writer-no-1-on-country-airplay-1235366302/amp/

Here’s Luke Combs’ recent cover of her 1988 hit “Fast Car”—which has rocketed up the country music charts:

He did not make this his own song. He simply just remade Chapman’s song with a differ t voice. The music, beat, tempo all remained the same.

I read that there are fairly strict rules about doing a cover, which you are able to do WITHOUT the artist’s permission, as Luke Combs’ did without Tracy’s permission. He was very respectful and expressed his admiration for her in interviews. The irony of people talking about the role of race is that Tracy Chapman was always the most popular amongst educated white liberals. I remember an interview where she mentioned being a little upset about her fan base.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:reminds me of driving around NE ohio with my mom in the 90s.

champan is from CLE

its a good cover. this album gives me chills every time.

good for her to get those royalties!

thanks for the memory

I’m a native Clevelander and was happy to learn we grew up in the same time period in the same city. She went onto boarding school in Connecticut, however.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Happy for her, but her OG performance was infinitely better!

This!

Much prefer her voice to this song. There’s nothing else like it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She is now the first African-American woman to write a #1 country song.

https://www.billboard.com/music/country/tracy-chapman-first-black-woman-sole-writer-no-1-on-country-airplay-1235366302/amp/

Here’s Luke Combs’ recent cover of her 1988 hit “Fast Car”—which has rocketed up the country music charts:

He did not make this his own song. He simply just remade Chapman’s song with a differ t voice. The music, beat, tempo all remained the same.

I read that there are fairly strict rules about doing a cover, which you are able to do WITHOUT the artist’s permission, as Luke Combs’ did without Tracy’s permission. He was very respectful and expressed his admiration for her in interviews. The irony of people talking about the role of race is that Tracy Chapman was always the most popular amongst educated white liberals. I remember an interview where she mentioned being a little upset about her fan base.

Wonder how she feels about her new “very fine” fans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She is now the first African-American woman to write a #1 country song.

https://www.billboard.com/music/country/tracy-chapman-first-black-woman-sole-writer-no-1-on-country-airplay-1235366302/amp/

Here’s Luke Combs’ recent cover of her 1988 hit “Fast Car”—which has rocketed up the country music charts:

He did not make this his own song. He simply just remade Chapman’s song with a differ t voice. The music, beat, tempo all remained the same.

I read that there are fairly strict rules about doing a cover, which you are able to do WITHOUT the artist’s permission, as Luke Combs’ did without Tracy’s permission. He was very respectful and expressed his admiration for her in interviews. The irony of people talking about the role of race is that Tracy Chapman was always the most popular amongst educated white liberals. I remember an interview where she mentioned being a little upset about her fan base.

Wonder how she feels about her new “very fine” fans.

I am sure those royalties will feel a bit like blood money. I hope she makes a point of donating some to liberal candidates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s really interesting that he didn’t change any of the lyrics to reflect he is singing. He sings about being a “check out girl”. I like that he kept the original lyrics, but Chapman’s version is so much better. I listened to her version freshman year at Berkeley over and over and over again.

Came here for this comment! I listened to Luke’s version on repeat on my way home. Curious choice to sing about being a “checkout girl.” It takes him out of character and that’s jarring to me.

I’d love to know the reasoning behind singing Chapman’s song exactly as it was written.

Perhaps when you are doing a cover without permission, you are not allowed to change any of the lyrics. I don’t know if that’s the case though. Just guessing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Luke Combs has such a distinctive voice (too much the same too much of the time) but his Faster Car sounds to me way too close to the original - more like a karaoke version than a unique cover.

Agree.