Tracy Chapman
Sounds Good!
That first Tracy Chapman album is a masterpiece. I loved it when I first heard it. I remember vividly listening to it on the side of the road over and over. My mum had to sleep after a long drive and a rough ferry crossing, so we parked up out of Wellington and while she rested, I played the one tape in the car on a loop; read the lyrics, and the liners – learned that several of the songs were written close to a decade before the album deal was inked.
Those classic songs – the big radio hits, the deep album cuts, all of it brilliant. And yet, sometimes, I like album number two even more. It’s not aiming for the charts, there are no hooks – apart from that great guitar lick that opens the record, the title track. Neil Young plays piano on one of the best songs she ever wrote. That was enough for me to seal the deal I think.
It’s rarer still to find anyone out there that loves the third album at all – but it has some songs that I really dig into. It has an emotional honesty that is almost uncomfortable. It has no hits at all. And there’s such a confidence in that.
By the time of the fourth album she was back to having hits. And the biggest song – Give Me One Reason – was actually written way back and just after the debut. Which makes me think she was reacting to the runaway success of her first album by burying the other commercial material until she really needed it, or absolutely wanted it out in the world. There’s also a confidence in that sort of move – you can’t learn that. It’s a form of self-preservation Four great albums and I had them all. And when she turned up to play a show in New Zealand I bought a ticket. Took myself. Enjoyed the gig. Amazing band. Killer setlist – the best of the albums to date. And barely a word in between, just the songs. Those strong songs. Those amazing songs.
People sometimes ask about what happened to Tracy Chapman. (There were a few more albums and no more hits). She doesn’t give interviews. You best not steal a snippet from her songs – she doesn’t give permission for samples, she protects her rights, performs benefit shows, gives to charities, is an activist and ambassador.
People sometimes ask about what happened to Tracy Chapman. When the better question is how did she happen at all? The better question is why were we so lucky to have that wonderful music from that amazing talent?
In 20 years, she made eight albums, four of them nearly perfect – each in their own way. The other four have merit, and buried gems, little whispers that are worth leaning in to hear the hidden secrets. And after that Tracy Chapman decided she gave enough to the world in terms of recorded music.
Go listen to one of the albums you haven’t ever heard – or haven’t heard in a while. There’ll be something on there that will make you smile. There’ll be something on there that will make the hairs on your arms do their own dance, there’ll be something on there that might make you cry. There’ll be something on there if you give her one reason, if you take the chance.
I’ve shared the first four albums up above - but if you want a starter kit, a teaser, a taster, and you don’t want the official Greatest Hits which is obliged to pick a few of the slightly lesser songs from the slightly lesser albums then have a go here on my Top 10 playlist - I’ve avoided many of the obvious hits (but not all) and picked my own Very Best of Tracy Chapman starter kit for you:
And, as always, I have a playlist for you that has nothing to do with Tracy Chapman and everything to do with finding 20 songs for the weekend. Something to kick back and relax to, something to share with friends. Something to get the party started. Something to put on the day after the party. Something to play instead of the party. A Little Something For The Weekend (vol. 51!)