37 years later, and her “Fast Car” is still full of gas! The world is once again entranced by Tracy Chapman, as her Grammy-winning self-titled debut finds its way back on shelves and the charts. To the dismay of many fans, the album has been unavailable on vinyl for many years. The new vinyl reissue now features an insert of translated lyrics, accompanied by its original release.
The Arrival of An Icon
The Cleveland, Ohio, native made her major-stage debut on May 3, 1985, at Boston’s Strand Theatre, as an opening act for singer/musician Linda Tillery. As a student at Tufts University, Chapman’s life took a pivotal turn. Once fellow student Brian Koppelman heard her playing one day, he became intrigued and knew that the world had to experience what he had. After taking a demo tape from their college radio station, he then presented it to Charles Koppelman, his father and head of SBK Publishing. Impressed with Chapman’s raw talent, Koppelman didn’t hesitate to sign her in 1986.
After graduating from Tufts University in 1987, Koppleman also assisted Chapman in signing with Elektra Records. Soon after, Chapman’s voice became heard in ways that she never imagined. Then it happened. Chapman’s acoustic-driven, self-titled debut exploded onto the music scene. Released on April 5, 1988, the socially and politically conscious album was produced by David Kershenbaum. Recorded in eight weeks, Tracy Chapman became a bona fide hit with its lead single “Fast Car” rising to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
A Star is Born
Released exactly one day after the album, “Fast Car” rose to prominence after being performed at Nelson Mandela’s 70th Birthday Tribute. The song, which was inspired by struggling individuals living in poverty, was heavily praised for both its lyrical and melodic content. The prolific album spawned two other singles. The follow-up to “Fast Car”, “Talkin’ bout a Revolution”, charted at No. 75, while the third single, “Baby Can I Hold You”, peaked at No. 48. In 2023, “Fast Car“ was recorded by country music singer Luke Combs for his album Gettin’ Old. Reaching number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, Combs’ rendition made Chapman the first black woman to solely write a country number one.
Additionally, it reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. On February 4, 2024, Chapman and Combs performed the song together at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. Tracy Chapman eventually peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200. The album also achieved commercial success in multiple European countries, including Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Overall, Tracy Chapman sold exceptionally well, going multi-platinum. At the 31st Annual Grammy Awards, the album was nominated for seven Grammys, winning Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Contemporary Folk Album, and Best New Artist.
An updated version was issued in 2015, reaching 1 billion streams on Spotify on January 17, 2025. To date, Tracy Chapman has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
