History Music / TracyChapman

* DomesticAbuse: 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 following the screaming one night, suggesting that [[DownerEnding the worst has happened.]]

* DownerEnding:
** 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 BittersweetEnding, 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.

* DomesticAbuse: 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.
* DownerEnding: 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 BittersweetEnding, 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.

* PoliceAreUseless: 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 violence situations.

* PoliceAreUseless: In "Behind The Wall", Tracy sings about how the police are useless when it comes to the horrible situation the wife is in -- not only do they come late if they come at all, but they're disinclined to deal with domestic violence situations.

* {{Bookends}}: "Fast Car" begins with the narrator taking care of her [[AlcoholicParent alcoholic father]], her [[MissingMom mother having skipped out]] years before. By the end of the song, that's [[HereWeGoAgain exactly what the narrator does]] with her deadbeat boyfriend.

* DomesticViolence: 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.

* DownerEnding: 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.

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.

* AmbiguousGender: [[DudeNotFunny Many cruel jokes about her refer to]][[TakeThat not knowing she was a woman when the observer first saw a picture of her or heard her music]].

* ProtestSong: A lot of 'em. "Talkin' Bout A Revolution", "Across The Lines" and "America" among others. "Fast Car" also counts, albeit in a [[BruceSpringsteen Springsteen]]-esque tragic ballad style.

* 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 boyfriend.

->''You got a fast car''\\

''We leave tonight or live and die this way''

'''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.

Tracy Chapman 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.

* OneHitWonder: Averted, as "Fast Car" put her on the map, but her biggest hit was 9 years later.

* WordOfGay: While it's widely assumed that Tracy is a lesbian(or at least bisexual), and it's known for a fact that in the 90's she was in a long-term relationship with writer Alice Walker, she refuses to confirm or deny this, saying that her private life is not anyone's business.

* BookEnds: The song 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 boyfriend.

* ProtestSong: A lot of 'em. "Talkin' Bout A Revolution", "Across The Lines" and "America" among others.

->''You got a fast car''
->''But is it fast enough so we can fly away?''
->''We gotta make a decision''
->''We leave tonight or live and die this way''

* EarWorm: Try to get "Fast Car" or "Give Me One Reason" out of your head after you listen to them.

* SignatureSong: Has three; "Fast Car", "Talkin' Bout A Revolution" and "Give Me One Reason".

->You got a fast car
->But is it fast enough so we can fly away?
->We gotta make a decision
->We leave tonight or live and die this way

> You got a fast car
> But is it fast enough so we can fly away?
> We gotta make a decision
> We leave tonight or live and die this way