Tracy Chapman | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 5, 1988 | |||
Recorded | 1987–88 | |||
Studio | Powertrax, Hollywood, California | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 36:11 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Producer | David Kershenbaum | |||
Tracy Chapman chronology | ||||
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Singles from Tracy Chapman | ||||
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Tracy Chapman is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on April 5, 1988, by Elektra Records. The album was recorded at the Powertrax studio in Hollywood, California. In 1987, Chapman was discovered by fellow Tufts University student Brian Koppelman. He offered to show her work to his father, who owned a successful publishing company; however, she did not consider the offer to be serious. After multiple performances, however, Koppelman found a demo tape of her singing "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", which he promoted to radio stations, and she was eventually signed to Elektra.
In early attempts to produce the first album, many producers turned down Chapman as they did not favor her musical direction. David Kershenbaum, however, decided to produce it as he wanted to record an acoustic music album. It was recorded in Hollywood, California, in eight weeks. Most of the writing is based on political and social causes.
Tracy Chapman quickly gained critical acclaim from a wide majority of music critics, praising the simplicity, Chapman's vocal ability and her political and social lyrical content. The album achieved commercial success in most of the countries it was released, making it to the top of the charts in many countries, including Austria, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, Denmark and the United Kingdom. It peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified six-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with sales exceeding over six million copies in the United States alone.
Three singles were released from the album, with the most successful single being "Fast Car". The song was performed at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute. It rose to the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also did well in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and other European countries. Tracy Chapman is one of the best-selling albums of all time, with sales of over 20 million units worldwide.
In 1987, Chapman was discovered by fellow Tufts University student Brian Koppelman. In an interview, Koppelman said, "I was helping organize a boycott protest against apartheid at school, and [someone] told me there was this great protest singer I should get to play at the rally." He went to see Chapman perform at a coffeehouse called Cappuccino, adding, "Tracy walked onstage, and it was like an epiphany. Her presence, her voice, her songs, her sincerity—it all came across." [3]
After this, Koppelman told Chapman that his father, Charles Koppelman, was at the time a co-owner of SBK Publishing and that he could help her make a record. She did not consider the offer seriously. [3]
Koppelman was still very interested in Chapman, and he attended most of her shows. Chapman finally agreed to talk to him, but she did not record any demos for him. He later discovered that she had recorded demos at the Tufts' radio station WMFO for copyright purposes in exchange for the station's right to play her music. Koppelman smuggled a demo tape of her song "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" from the station, which he showed to his father. [3]
According to the interview, "He immediately got the picture and flew up to see her". Her demo led to her signing a contract with Elektra Records. Chapman said, "I have to say that I never thought I would get a contract with a major record label [...] All the time since I was a kid listening to records and the radio, I didn't think there was any indication that record people would find the kind of music that I did marketable. Especially when I was singing songs like 'Talkin' 'bout a Revolution' during the Seventies [...] I didn't see a place for me there." [3]
Producer David Kershenbaum said that the album was "made for the right reasons," adding, "There was a set of ideas that we wanted to communicate, and we felt if we were truthful and loyal to those ideas, then people would pick up on the emotion and the lyrical content that was there." [3]
Chapman immediately started writing songs when she was signed to Elektra. Koppelman started finding producers for the album with the demo tape of her single "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution". However, she was turned down, due to the popularity of dance-pop and synthpop at the time. [3] In an interview with The Guardian in 2008, Chapman stated, "My first record was almost not my first record." After the originally chosen producer was killed in a car accident, Elektra initially selected a producer with less experience to replace him, and the recording sessions were, according to Chapman, "horrible" and "bombastic". [4]
They then found Kershenbaum, who later recalled, "I'd been looking for something acoustic to do for some time," adding, "There was a sense in the industry of a slight boredom with everything out there and that people might be willing to listen again to lyrics and to someone who made statements." Chapman's greatest concern during her meetings with Kershenbaum was that the integrity of her songs remain intact, because she wanted to record "real simple". Kershenbaum said, "I wanted to make sure that she was in front, vocally and thematically, and that everything was built around her." Every song that was featured on the resultant studio album had been featured on her demo tape, except for "Fast Car", which was one of the last songs recorded for the album. Kershenbaum recalled that the first time she sang and performed it for him, he "loved it the minute I heard it." [3]
The album was, in total, recorded in eight weeks at Powertrax, Kershenbaum's Hollywood studio. [3] Interviewed in 2002 by The Guardian, Kershenbaum stated that a lot of the public wanted "what she had", adding, "And they weren't getting it. She got there at the right moment with stuff that was good." [5] Chapman was also interviewed and talked about the background of the album, stating, "The first record [Tracy Chapman] is seen as being more social commentary... more political. But I think that's just all about perspective." [5]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [6] |
Los Angeles Times | [7] |
NME | 8/10 [8] |
Orlando Sentinel | [9] |
The Philadelphia Inquirer | [10] |
Pitchfork | 9.4/10 [11] |
Q | [12] |
Rolling Stone | [13] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [14] |
The Village Voice | B+ [15] |
According to Rolling Stone , Chapman "caught everyone's ear in the hair-metal late Eighties" with the album. [16] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice found "Fast Car" and "Mountains o' Things" very perceptive and Chapman an innately gifted singer but was disappointed by the presence of "begged questions" and "naive left-folkie truisms", such as "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" and "Why": "She's too good for such condescension ... Get real, girl." [15]
In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, "Arriving with little fanfare in the spring of 1988, Tracy Chapman's eponymous debut album became one of the key records of the Bush era, providing a touchstone for the entire PC movement while reviving the singer-songwriter tradition." According to Erlewine, "the juxtaposition of contemporary themes and classic production precisely is what makes the album distinctive – it brings the traditions into the present." He highlighted the album as being the best in her entire discography. [6]
Over three weeks after its release, the album first reached the Billboard charts for the week of April 30 at No. 122. [17] The following week, it reached No. 77 [18] and continued to slowly climb the charts until it reached No. 1 in the week of August 27. [19] Her live televised performance at Wembley Stadium in June marked a shift in album sales. Prior to that performance, 250,000 copies had been sold. [20] By June 22, it was awarded gold record status by the RIAA. By July 27, it was awarded platinum status, having sold 1,000,000 copies. [21] Ultimately, it sold over 20 million copies worldwide and is one of the first albums by a female artist to have more than 10 million copies sold worldwide. [22]
Grammy Awards | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Work | Award | Result | Ref | |
1989 | Tracy Chapman | Album of the Year | Nominated | [23] | |
Best Contemporary Folk Album | Won | ||||
"Fast Car" | Song of the Year | Nominated | |||
Record of the Year | Nominated | ||||
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance | Won | ||||
Tracy Chapman | Best New Artist | Won | |||
David Kershenbaum | Producer of the Year | Nominated | [24] |
In 1989, the album was rated No. 10 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Albums of the 80s". [3] In 2003, the album was ranked No. 261 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time", [25] No. 263 in a 2012 revised list, [26] and No. 256 in a 2020 revised list. [27]
Slant Magazine listed the album at No. 49 on its list of "Best Albums of the 1980s". [28]
The album was critically acclaimed and helped to revive the singer-songwriter tradition. [6]
"Fast Car" was later recorded by country music singer Luke Combs for his 2023 album Gettin' Old , from which it was released as the second single. Combs' rendition of the song reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, making Chapman the first black woman to solely write a country number one. [29] Additionally, it reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, higher than Chapman's original version. [30] Chapman and Combs subsequently performed the song together live at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 4, 2024. [31] [32]
All songs written by Tracy Chapman.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" | 2:40 |
2. | "Fast Car" | 4:57 |
3. | "Across the Lines" | 3:25 |
4. | "Behind the Wall" | 1:50 |
5. | "Baby Can I Hold You" | 3:14 |
6. | "Mountains o' Things" | 4:39 |
7. | "She's Got Her Ticket" | 3:57 |
8. | "Why?" | 2:06 |
9. | "For My Lover" | 3:12 |
10. | "If Not Now…" | 3:01 |
11. | "For You" | 3:10 |
Credits adapted from the album's booklet. [33]
Musicians
Technical
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
All-time charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Argentina (CAPIF) [73] | 2× Platinum | 120,000^ |
Australia (ARIA) [74] | 7× Platinum | 490,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [75] | 2× Platinum | 100,000* |
Belgium (BEA) [76] | Platinum | 50,000* |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [77] | Platinum | 250,000* |
Canada (Music Canada) [78] | 3× Platinum | 300,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [79] sales since 2011 | 6× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [80] | Diamond | 1,000,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [81] | 9× Gold | 2,250,000^ |
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong) [82] | Platinum | 20,000* |
India (IMI) | — | 6,500 [83] |
Ireland (IRMA) [84] | 9× Platinum | 145,000 [84] |
Italy sales 1988-1989 | — | 700,000 [85] |
Italy (FIMI) [86] sales since 2009 | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [87] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [88] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Portugal (AFP) [89] | Platinum | 40,000^ |
Singapore | — | 10,000 [90] |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [91] | 3× Platinum | 350,000 [92] |
Sweden (GLF) [93] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [94] | 4× Platinum | 200,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [95] | 9× Platinum | 2,668,869 [96] |
United States (RIAA) [97] | 6× Platinum | 6,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 20,000,000 [22] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, widely known for her hit singles "Fast Car" (1988) and "Give Me One Reason" (1995).
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Crossroads is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released in 1989. Chapman was also a producer on this album, the first time she had taken on such a role. The song "Freedom Now" is dedicated to Nelson Mandela.
Matters of the Heart is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on April 28, 1992, by Elektra Records. It was her first not to be produced or co-produced by David Kershenbaum.
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Telling Stories is the fifth album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on February 14, 2000, by Elektra Records.
Let It Rain is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on October 15, 2002, by Elektra Records. The album was co-produced by John Parish. It produced two singles: "You're the One" and "Another Sun".
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Where You Live is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on September 13, 2005, by Elektra Records. The album was co-produced by Tchad Blake. It produced two singles: "Change" and "America".
Trash is the eleventh solo studio album by American rock musician Alice Cooper. It was released on July 25, 1989, by Epic Records. The album features the single "Poison", Cooper's first top ten hit since his single "You and Me" in 1977 and marked a great success in Cooper's musical career, reaching the Top 20 of various album charts and selling more than two million copies. Trash features John McCurry on guitar, Hugh McDonald of Bon Jovi on bass as well as Bobby Chouinard and Alan St. Jon, both from Billy Squier's solo band on drums and keyboards, respectively. The album was the "biggest hit among his hair metal albums", peaking at number two in the UK and number 20 in the US.
"Fast Car" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on April 6, 1988, by Elektra Records, as the lead single from her 1988 self-titled debut studio album. Chapman's appearance at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert in June 1988 helped the song become a top-ten hit in the United States, reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100, and led the album to top the Billboard 200. The single also reached number five on the UK Singles Chart.
Collection is a greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on October 30, 2001, by Elektra Records and WEA International.
A Collection: Greatest Hits...and More is the fourth greatest hits album recorded by American vocalist Barbra Streisand. It was released on October 3, 1989 by Columbia Records. The compilation features ten songs from Streisand's career, dating from 1975 to 1988, plus two previously unreleased songs: "We're Not Makin' Love Anymore" was released as the album's lead single on September 14, 1989, and "Someone That I Used to Love" was distributed as the second and final one in 1989. Both singles charted on several record charts internationally.
"Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" is the second single from American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman's self-titled debut album. The politically aware song peaked at No. 75 in the United States as opposed to its predecessor, "Fast Car" which reached No. 6. It also charted in several other countries, reaching the top 40 in Austria, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
"Baby Can I Hold You" is the third single released by American contemporary folk artist Tracy Chapman, released in October 1988. The song reached the top 50 in the United States, unlike its predecessor, "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", but it failed to become Chapman's second top 40 hit, peaking at number 48. It did, however, give her a second chart entry on the US Adult Contemporary charts, peaking at number 19 in early 1989. Given the commercial decline Chapman suffered following the release of her second album Crossroads, "Baby Can I Hold You" also became her last top 50 hit until 1996's "Give Me One Reason". In July 1990, the song reached number one in Portugal. Chapman re-released the song in 2001, in support of her first greatest hits album Collection.
David Kershenbaum is an American record producer and entrepreneur, born in Springfield, Missouri. He has worked with many artists including Duran Duran, Tracy Chapman, Joe Jackson, Laura Branigan, Bryan Adams, Supertramp, Cat Stevens, Elkie Brooks, and Tori Amos. As a producer he has earned 75 international gold and platinum albums. His work has yielded multiple Grammys and an Oscar nomination.
"Give Me One Reason" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman. It was included on her fourth studio album, New Beginning (1995), and was released as a single in various territories between November 1995 and March 1997, her first since 1992's "Dreaming on a World". The song is Chapman's biggest US hit, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also her biggest hit in Australia, where it reached number three as well, and it topped the charts of Canada and Iceland. Elsewhere, the song reached number 16 in New Zealand, but it underperformed in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 95 in March 1997.
The discography of Tracy Chapman, an American singer-songwriter, consists of eight studio albums, two compilation albums, and 22 singles on Elektra Records. In the United States, Chapman has four Platinum albums, two of which are multi-platinum, and two Gold albums. All of her studio albums have charted on the U.S. Billboard 200, with five charting in the Top 40, and three in the Top 10. Five of Chapman's singles have charted on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, with "Fast Car" and "Give Me One Reason" reaching the Top 10 on both charts. The latter was also certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Both singles also hit No. 1 in Canada.
Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released on November 20, 2015, by Elektra and Rhino.
"Crossroads" is a song by American singer Tracy Chapman. It was released in 1989 as the lead single from her second studio album Crossroads. The song was written by Chapman, and produced by David Kershenbaum and Chapman. "Crossroads" reached No. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's music video was directed by Matt Mahurin.
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