This was the biggest splash of any new voice in the Eighties. She was called “the black Joni Mitchell”. When she performed this song in concert, the hall would go dead silent. It’s a no-holds-barred look at the urban black experience and its utter hopelessness. She uses repetition of the foundation guitar line and the melodically neutral verses to set the table, and when she hits the chorus at 2:00, the effect is overwhelming. It debuted at #73 this week on its way to #1. The first time I heard this song, I got cold chills.
Tracy Chapman: “Fast Car”
