Tracy Chapman makes history

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

And you would be wrong. She said in a recent interview that she was “honored“ and happy that the song is getting a second listen by a different kind of fan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Versions? they are exactly the same just a different singer.

Her voice is better / more compelling.

This! Shameful to think that her amazing work is being appropriated and it is a mediocre and terrible version. It is nothing akin to Whitney Houston's version of Dolly Parton's "I will always love you". That was something powerful, different and a real tribute!

[Anonymous]

His version brings nothing to the song. Very souless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

I get such an ick feeling from the fact that this needed to covered a white dude. The original is so much better.

Not everything is about race people.

I think people are upset that a white dude is topping the charts with a song written by a black, lgbt woman. Country music and its fans don’t exactly have a history of supporting black people.

How can you be upset when her music is reaching a different genre of audience and new generations plus making her royalties? Glad for both of them. Good music is timeless.

Yes, I agree that good music is timeless. But this reminds me of the “black music” that got no airtime during the 1950s but as soon as a white dude sang the same songs (Elvis) the songs rocketed up the charts.

Interesting article about Elvis and his black music:

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/06/elvis-biopic-black-musicians

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved this song when I discovered it in the 90s, and am always moved listening to Tracy Chapman sing it. The cover is ok, nothing special, it's nice sounding but doesn't really do anything for me beyond the original. But I'm really glad that the song is getting another run, finding new audiences that may not have heard it before, and I'm extra glad that she is getting another round of recognition for it. Her songwriting is amazing.

Agree with all these points. Glad she's getting recognition and the song is getting new listeners. Great songs, like all great art, can reach into just about anyone's soul.

His version is pretty good, but listening to her sing this song, just breaks my heart every. single. time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:His version brings nothing to the song. Very souless.

+1 There are some covers that make no sense because they’re exactly like the original, what is the point? Like Weezer’s cover of Africa. Uncle Kracker’s Drift Away. Why bother if you’re not going to do something different?

[Anonymous]

I thought this was pretty funny:

https://www.tiktok.com/@mtaren/video/7238716484141501742

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His version brings nothing to the song. Very souless.

+1 There are some covers that make no sense because they’re exactly like the original, what is the point? Like Weezer’s cover of Africa. Uncle Kracker’s Drift Away. Why bother if you’re not going to do something different?

Because they like to sing the song? You don't have to improve on the original to record it as long as you have permission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

I get such an ick feeling from the fact that this needed to covered a white dude. The original is so much better.

Not everything is about race people.

I think people are upset that a white dude is topping the charts with a song written by a black, lgbt woman. Country music and its fans don’t exactly have a history of supporting black people.

How can you be upset when her music is reaching a different genre of audience and new generations plus making her royalties? Glad for both of them. Good music is timeless.

Yes, I agree that good music is timeless. But this reminds me of the “black music” that got no airtime during the 1950s but as soon as a white dude sang the same songs (Elvis) the songs rocketed up the charts.

Interesting article about Elvis and his black music:

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/06/elvis-biopic-black-musicians

It's folk music.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

And you would be wrong. She said in a recent interview that she was “honored“ and happy that the song is getting a second listen by a different kind of fan.

So she’s a totally normal person who doesn’t make their entire identity about their political beliefs.

Unlike these DCUM posters calling her royalties blood money and expecting her to give it to liberal candidates…what nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

I get such an ick feeling from the fact that this needed to covered a white dude. The original is so much better.

Not everything is about race people.

I think people are upset that a white dude is topping the charts with a song written by a black, lgbt woman. Country music and its fans don’t exactly have a history of supporting black people.

How can you be upset when her music is reaching a different genre of audience and new generations plus making her royalties? Glad for both of them. Good music is timeless.

Yes, I agree that good music is timeless. But this reminds me of the “black music” that got no airtime during the 1950s but as soon as a white dude sang the same songs (Elvis) the songs rocketed up the charts.

Interesting article about Elvis and his black music:

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/06/elvis-biopic-black-musicians

But... Fast Car got tons of airplay, and does till this day-high on the charts and video rotation on MTV. And Tracy Chapman won a Grammy for it. It's been on the radio non-stop since 1988 (it's on the 'light and workday' stations till this day). It's not like no one heard of it until Luke Combs covered it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

And you would be wrong. She said in a recent interview that she was “honored“ and happy that the song is getting a second listen by a different kind of fan.

+1 I think this was the interview

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

And you would be wrong. She said in a recent interview that she was “honored“ and happy that the song is getting a second listen by a different kind of fan.

+1 I think this was the interview

I am happy to stand corrected, but the fact remains that she sang about racism, poverty and revolution to a white yuppie audience. Black radio and community ignored her music. Maybe now that will change with new exposure to young people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

And you would be wrong. She said in a recent interview that she was “honored“ and happy that the song is getting a second listen by a different kind of fan.

So she’s a totally normal person who doesn’t make their entire identity about their political beliefs.

Unlike these DCUM posters calling her royalties blood money and expecting her to give it to liberal candidates…what nonsense.

Tracy Chapman is very politically and socially active. She sang “Talking About a Revolution” on Seth Meyers on the eve of the 2020 presidential election and stated that it was the most important election of our lifetime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:See, here’s the thing. You’re all just a bunch of a$$holes. Yea, the original version is better. They usually are. And she’s an amazing artist. But here you have a country star, a guy no less, who’s paying homage to her by singing the song as similar to the original as he can, without even attempting to do the bullshit like change the gender from him to her etc. And she’s a liberal, lesbian, African American woman singing about the black experience. It’s very brave in a real way for him to have taken this on considering his audience. I applaud him.

Agree. Plus, he's said that his father played the song when Combs was a kid and it's important to him, which is why he remade it.